


Shooting

by Emily_F6



Series: Her Brothers [2]
Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-17 12:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 75,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2309453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_F6/pseuds/Emily_F6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 'Her Brothers.' When Emmett stays behind during a hunt to watch Bella, someone brings a gun to school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Emmett hated biology, even if it was advanced biology. He'd taken the course, or a variation of it, a hundred times, and rarely did he learn anything new. Then again, that could be because he barely paid attention, used Jasper's notes, and copied his answers on all of their tests. Or Edward's. It all depended on who he had biology with at the time. At the moment, he was a 'senior' with Rosalie and Jasper, and Alice and Edward were still 'juniors' with Bella, which was fine with him. While they were still in high school every day for another year, he and Rosalie could have some fun.

"…Mr. Cullen?" Emmett glanced up at the teacher, searching his mind for what the man could possibly want. Teachers rarely called on them, something he was grateful for. "Well? Do you know the answer?"

"Charles Darwin?" Emmett offered the man a grin, his eyes half-hopeful, and the man sighed.

"No, Mr. Cullen. The process by which cells duplicate their genetic material and yield two daughter cells is not 'Charles Darwin.'" He sighed again, a long-suffering sound that spoke of weariness and resignation, and turned to another student, not bothering with Emmett for any longer than he needed to. Once, at the start of the year, he'd met with Carlisle and Esme to discuss his concerns about their son's lack of attention and suspected cheating, and Emmett had been warned that he would have to try harder to keep up appearances. But something about the parent-teacher conference had unnerved Mr. Meyers, and he'd never commented again. Emmett looked down at his notebook and began to doodle, lazily running his pen over the page as he draw a cartoon of Edward getting eaten by a bear.

Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot split the air, and everyone froze. Emmett glanced around quickly, making sure no one in the room had a gun, and then looked back at the door warily. Of course he wasn't afraid of guns, since they weren't much of a threat to him, but he wasn't keen on anyone else in the room falling victim to one either. Another shot rang out, right after the first, and the panic began, the frightened, nearly hysterical whispering and stunned whimpering surrounding him. Emmett glanced up at the desk. His teacher had frozen midsentence, eyes wide, and seemed almost as stunned as the students. Finally, the intercom buzzed to life, and the words 'Lock Down' were barked out before there was silence once again. A few of the boys jumped out of their seats, as if run to the door, which seemed to pull Mr. Meyers from his stupor. The short, balding man hurried over to the light and switched it off, pointing to the wall beside the door which held bookshelves covered with rarely used biology texts.

"Everyone, hide! Against this wall. Shh!" He began herding people over, pulling on their arms or placing a hand on their shoulders. The seat next to Emmett, which was usually occupied by Jasper, was, unfortunately, empty, or the whole room would have been engulfed in an unnatural calm by now. Emmett cursed the fact that he had been the one to stay behind for this hunting trip. Still, he reasoned with himself, someone needed to look after Bella.

Emmett stiffened as another shot echoed through the halls. 'Bella.' He cursed himself softly as he came to stand by the wall, keeping away from the small window in the door. He slipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He'd promised Edward (and Carlisle and Esme and everyone else for that matter) that he'd look after his little sister, especially since she'd recently moved in with them (sort of) and hadn't been left alone yet. She had been staying with them since the incident with Jacob Black about two months ago, something that improved the mood throughout the house, for which he was grateful. Edward was in a perpetual good mood when she was around, and watching her stumble around the house was a never-ending source of amusement for him. Not to mention that she was usually willing to play video games with him, even if she wasn't any good, and he was trying to teach her how to play Assassin's Creed, which was hilarious to watch, as she seemed to get caught by the guards every five minutes, and was constantly falling off of buildings. Jasper liked playing chess with her, even if she was horrible, and Alice used her as a life sized Barbie doll. Even Rosalie had warmed to her human sister, and although she still disagreed with her choice to become one of them, he'd once caught her playing Bella Barbie with Alice. Carlisle and Esme adored her as well, and made it their mission to keep her well fed and watered and whatever else the human needed, much to the girl's embarrassment.

These thoughts in his mind, Emmett selected her name in his phone and opened a blank text message. 'Are you okay?' He closed his phone and made sure it was set on vibrate, then held it carefully in his clenched fists. After a few seconds, it vibrated.

'What's going on?' He glanced up to find the teacher on his own cellphone, and most of the students had theirs out, so he doubted it would be an issue.

'Someone's got a gun.' His fingers flew over the touch screen. 'Where are you?' He listened carefully, and someone screamed in another part of the school. Another shot was fired and he clenched his jaw. If Bella got hurt…

He checked his phone anxiously then looked around again. A few of the girls were crying, leaning their heads on their boyfriend's shoulders, or huddled in groups with other girls. The boys looked shell-shocked, and Emmett realized that this was probably the most dangerous situation they'd ever found themselves in. His mind wandered back to Bella. Was she crying in one of the classrooms, huddled with a bunch of girls? He doubted it. She didn't have many friends, especially since she'd decided to cast her lot with the Cullens. He fought the overwhelming desire to jump up and go find her and chose instead to stare at his phone, checking the time.

She was in calculus this period, he realized, a floor above him. Room 207. He had sat with her at lunch earlier, after seeking her out and pulling her to a table where he forced her to eat. She hadn't eaten much that morning, probably because Emmett hadn't quite gotten the hang of cooking, and Bella had just nibbled on an apple. He'd been worried, but had decided to keep an eye on her. A few boys had stared at them, their eyes following Bella wherever she went, and he'd fought back the urge to growl at them. That wouldn't do well for their cover. Most people now knew that she was living with them, since Forks was such a tiny town, and gossip was spreading like wildfire. She pretended that it didn't bother her, but the rest of them didn't.

Four days after she'd moved in, he had been sitting beside Jasper in this very room, mumbling at vampire speed about their plans for the night, when they'd heard someone whispering in the back of the room. "Yea, I heard she's living with the Cullens now. You think Edward shares her with those big brothers of his?" The other person snorted, and Emmett hadn't been aware of what he was doing before nearly falling over with lethargy, his shoulder shaking under Jasper's firm hand.

"Don't." He'd warned sharply under his breath. "It will only make things worse. Don't get up." No one else seemed to notice their little conversation as the teacher continued to drone on, but Emmett was seeing red, entertaining daydreams about cornering the boys behind the school and beating them to a bloody pulp. Well, maybe not the bloody part…he didn't particularly want to feed on them. That would probably cause even more rumors…and they would have to move in a hurry, which would be bad for Bella no matter how he looked at it. So he'd sat down and drawn little doodles until the end of the class period, when he'd cornered the two gossips, one football player and one lacrosse player, and politely informed them about the perils of talking about his little sister. With Jasper standing nearby, looking as menacing as ever, the two had quickly apologized, not willing to get on the bad side of the strangest family in town. Later he'd seen one of them nursing a black eye, and Jasper was a little too innocent when Emmett had questioned him. The soft buzzing of his phone brought him back into the present.

'Bathroom.' He stared at the little green bubble on his phone, holding only one word, and knew that if his heart still functioned, that it would be racing. 'She's in the bathroom…she's not in her classroom…what if the shooter…' He cut that thought off brutally, and with forced care, touched the little letters.

'STAY IN THE BATHROOM. I'M COMING.' The message was sent and he was on his feet before he had consciously decided on a plan. The teacher was whispering anxiously into his phone, and the other students were the only ones who realized what he was doing. Several of them stared at him, wide-eyed, as he placed a hand on the doorknob, but none of them spoke up…until a hand caught his arm.

"What are you doing?" The boy, who was barely as tall as Emmett's shoulder, and not quite as thick as his bicep, hissed, and Emmett had to admire his courage. The teacher didn't even turn around, and Emmett wondered if the man even knew what he was supposed to be doing.

"My sister's in the bathroom." He whispered harshly pulling away before the panicked boy took note of his icy skin. The boy looked at him in surprise, and then let go with a nod, leaning back against the wall and retaking his place on the floor. Emmett turned the knob silently and slipped through the door, shutting it again as quietly as possible, and ignoring the muffled 'Hey' of the teacher. There was very little chance that the man would come out of the safety of the classroom to retrieve him, and even if he did, it wouldn't work.

Emmett's sharp ears caught footsteps nearby, but nothing close enough to stop him as he ran silently through the corridors as slowly as he could, not willing to be caught on camera running at vampire speed, although he dearly wanted to. From what he could hear, the shooter was on the second floor, where Bella was. 'Of course.' He grumbled internally. 'Someone's out to kill people. Of course they would be close to Bella. Why is she such a danger magnet!?' He ran up the stairs, coming to the same level as Bella's classroom, and paused for a moment, listening carefully. A door rattled down the hallway, and he hurried past the open hallway to the bathrooms that he never entered.

The women's room was across from the men's, and he slipped inside, immediately picking up the sound of her frantic heartbeat and her unique scent. He quietly walked in front of the rows of doors, finally coming to a stop in front of the one on the far end where he knew she was hiding. "Bella?" He whispered, his voice bouncing around the little room.

The door was pushed open and he saw her, balancing precariously on the toilet seat, tears running down her face and dripping off her nose. "Emmett!" She whimpered, and he hurried into the stall, picking her up and setting her on the floor, enveloping her in his arms as she sobbed. Another shot was fired, this one closer than any of the others, and she cried harder.

"Shhhh. Sh, Bella." He whispered frantically, begging the higher power Carlisle seemed to believe in for some mercy. 'Just this once.' He begged. 'Please don't let the danger come to us!'

"I'm scared." Her words tore at his chest and he took a deep breath, breathing in her scent.

"It's okay. I've got you. You're okay." He assured her, running his had up and down her back. "We'll be okay."


	2. Chapter 2

Bella hated calculus. Biology was easy. Literature was interesting. American history was tolerable (especially since she was studying the civil war at the moment and lived with someone who had been in it and was more than willing to help.) But Calculus was torture. She was just grateful that everyone in the Cullen household was excellent in math; even Emmett did better than she did, and all of then were willing to tutor her.

At first, she had done her best to keep her issues with math to herself, studying and working homework problems in 'her' study. Although she shared a room with Edward, Carlisle and Esme had set up one of the smaller rooms as a sort of library and study for her to use or if she wanted privacy, something she was grateful for. Everyone in the family was considerate of everyone else's privacy, and if a door was closed, no one would enter without knocking. Thanks to this, she was able to get peace and quiet if she wanted to do homework or read, something she was especially thankful for since she was still getting used to living with so many people.

She'd been studying in this particular room one night, pouring over a set of problems for hours until hot, irritated tears were pouring down her face and her aching head was in her hands. In a rare fit of anger, she'd balled up the paper and thrown it, then slammed the book shut and done the same thing, barely flinching when it had hit the wall with a thud.

Immediately there had been a soft knock on the door. "Bella?" She bit her lip hard, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath, taking a moment to be glad that Edward was out.

"Yea?" She asked, knowing he could hear her perfectly.

"You okay?" The door had slowly cracked open, revealing Emmett's concerned face.

"Yea." She gave him a half-hearted smile, and his frown had deepened, his eyes roaming the room and coming to rest on the book on the floor. Giving him a rueful smile, she'd sighed and stood, walking over to the book and picking it up, and starting to lay it back on the desk. Before she could, it was snatched away, and Emmett stared at the cover for a minute.

"You're still doing homework?" She sighed again, crossing her arms.

"I had a lot of calculus problems."

"Are you finished?"

"No." She had said shortly, snatching the book back and placing it on the table, and grabbing a new piece of notebook paper. She'd barely finished one problem.

"Emmett, why are you in…Bella? You're still doing homework?" Bella had turned to find a surprised Carlisle in the doorway.

"Yea." She had tempered her tone, not wanting to sound rude. Once or twice she had heard Carlisle or Esme rebuke one of their children, and she didn't think she could bear it at the moment, so she was always extra careful when addressing one of her second parents.

"You've been in here for hours. Is everything okay?"

"Fine." She'd faked a cheery smile and turned back to her paper, sighing as she focused on the problem.

"Okay." Carlisle had spoken slowly, his tone careful. "We'll let you get back to work. Let us know if you need anything." She was sure they were having a conversation she couldn't hear behind her back, but didn't bother turning around as they left, shutting the door carefully behind them.

Another two hours of fruitless labor later, she had really been crying, unable to believe how stupid she felt. She had twenty problems left, her head ached, and it was nearly three in the morning. Edward wasn't coming back for another day or so, so she couldn't exactly ask him for help as she did on occasion, and she didn't have a computer at the Cullen house, not that she would ever ask for one. Mentally she scrolled through her options. If she left the assignment incomplete, that would be another zero, and she already had four, all from this unit. Staring at the paper wasn't helping, and the book made little sense.

Before she could decide what to do, there was another knock on the door. "Come in." She mumbled, wondering who it was. Carlisle had appeared in the doorway, and then beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He had asked softly, wiping her eyes with his thumb and then keeping his hand on her flushed cheek. "Are you feeling sick?"

"No." She'd mumbled miserably. He had seemed confused, and had crouched to eye level.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

"I can't do it." She'd mumbled, an embarrassed flush covering her face. She'd glanced over at the calculus book and the almost blank piece of notebook paper, and he'd followed her gaze.

"Have you been doing homework all this time?" Her blush deepened and she'd dropper her eyes. "Why didn't you ask one of us for help?" She shrugged, keeping her gaze on the floor as another frustrated tear fell down her face. He was silent for a moment, then sighed, taking one of her hands. "Okay, here's what we'll do. You're going to bed." He had pulled her to her feet in a gentle motion and placed a hand around her shoulders.

"No!" She had cried desperately. "I have to finish this! If I don't turn it in…"

"You're going to bed." He had said firmly, raising his voice a little. "You're not going to be able to learn anything tonight. And tomorrow, you'll stay home and I'll help you." She was already shaking her head.

"You can't miss work…"  
"I don't have work tomorrow." He was leading her to the door, reaching over to turn off the light as they left the room.

"But I can't miss school…"

"You're going to be tired to get up anyway. A day off won't kill you."

"But…"

"No more arguments." His voice had been firm as he'd led her into the bedroom, pulling the covers back and pushing her onto the bed. "Sleep. We'll deal with this tomorrow…well, later today." His eyes had been kind as he'd kissed her forehead, then left her to sleep. She'd fallen asleep almost instantly, not worrying about changing her clothes.

The next day, he'd sat her down and gently rebuked her for not coming to one of them sooner. "We are your family." He had told her firmly. "If you need help with anything, come to us. You should never let yourself get so worked up over something like homework." He had hugged her gently, and then opened the math book, patiently walking her through the process until she could do it on her own. When the school had called, he had calmly explained that she wasn't feeling well and would be back the next day.

Bella turned her attention back to the present and tried to listened to the teacher drone on about the new chapter as she worked out one of the problems on the board. Since that night, a member of the family, usually Carlisle or Edward, but sometimes Jasper or Alice, and even Emmett occasionally, had taken her through the chapter they covered after school, usually working ahead, making sure she was caught up, although there were nights more and more often that she understood everything on her own. Last night had been spent with Emmett, since everyone else was away on a 'camping' trip, and together they had worked through most of the problems that weren't due until the next day.

Bella waited a few minutes until the teacher finished talking and told them to work independently, then raised her hand, quietly asking for permission to use the bathroom. The teacher grudgingly gave her permission and Bella made her way to the girl's toilet slowly, relishing the chance to stretch her legs. She stopped at the mirror and ran a hand through her hair, then stepped into the stall farthest from the door. When she was finished using the bathroom, she stood, about to zip up her pants, when a loud noise echoed through the bathroom.

Bella immediately recognized the sound of the gunshot. Having a police officer as a father helped with that. She zipped her jeans quickly, forcing her hands to move, and started to open the stall, but froze again when another shot was fired. The intercom crackled to life above her head, barking out the words 'lock down' and then left her in silence. She could just make out the sounds of stray students being herded into classrooms, and wondered if there was anyone else in the room with her, although she hadn't noticed anyone when she'd walked in. She took a deep breath, feeling that everything was suddenly moving too fast, and checked to make sure the stall door was locked.

"Hello?" She whispered the words, but they still felt too loud in the silence. There was no answer, and she bent to peek under the stalls. There were no bags on the floor or feet visible, so she assumed that she was alone. Soft footsteps passed the bathroom door, and she carefully pulled herself up onto the toilet seat, glad that she wasn't carrying a purse. Balancing awkwardly, she placed her hands on the side of the walls and bent her head so that it wouldn't show above the short door. She felt tears build up in her eyes and bit her lip, not wanting to let them pass, but she felt them fall down her face. 'I don't want to die in a bathroom.' She thought frantically. 'Please, please don't let me die alone in a bathroom.'

After what felt like forever but was probably closer to a minute or two of debating whether or not she should run out into the hallway and hope someone would let her into their classroom, her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she managed to move one hand into her pocket to grab it, hoping it wasn't Edward. As much as she wished he were with her, she knew that he was out hunting, and that nothing would be accomplished by telling him that she was hiding in a bathroom while someone shot up the school. He would never make it in time to help anyway.

The message popped up on her screen. 'Are you okay?' She let out a relieved sigh. It was Emmett.

'What's going on?' She managed to type with one hand while the other was braced against the wall. He responded immediately.

'Someone's got a gun. Where are you?' She unbent her neck, wincing at the pan as she did so. Her back had already started to cramp, but she didn't dare get down. Another shot was fired and the phone slipped from her hand when she jumped, her ankle twisting slightly and threatening to give out. She only just managed to catch herself on the top of the stall, and the phone landed with a crash on the floor. Her heart felt like it would stop, and she held her breath as she waited for any noise, ignoring the pain in her ankle. After a full minute of silence, she crouched down carefully; sitting on the seat, then dropped her feet onto the ground, holding her breath against the pain the whole time. Leaning over without putting weight on her right foot, she grabbed her phone, the back cover, and the battery, which had fallen out, and then climbed back onto the seat, balancing mostly on her left leg. Somehow managing not to fall, she reinserted her battery and replaced the back cover, hitting the on button. As she waited for the phone to boot up, she listened. There were loud footsteps in the hallway, and a door rattled, but no one opened the bathroom door. 'Why would someone bring a gun to school? Has anyone been shot? Where are the police…did anyone call them?'

Glancing down at her phone, she realized it was back on. 'Bathroom.' She texted Emmett, praying that he would come find her and get her out of here.

'STAY IN THE BATHROOM. I'M COMING.' She looked down at the return message in surprise, but didn't text him back. There were footsteps outside, and she felt the tears fall down her face again.

'What if Emmett gets shot? That won't hurt him, will it? What if it doesn't and he has to leave?! Will everyone leave? What about Edward? Will I go with them? What if the shooter comes in here?' She sobbed silently, the tears running down her nose and dripping into the toilet. 'Emmett can't get shot.' She clenched her fists. 'I can't lose my family.'

The bathroom door opened suddenly and she held her breath, praying that it was Emmett but knowing that, with her luck, it was probably someone that wanted to kill her. After a moment, there was a tentative voice in the silence. "Bella?" Leaning forward, she unlocked the door and pushed it open, and was greeted with his anxious face.

"Emmett!" She choked out in a whisper, and her big brother lifted her easily, pulling her into his arms. She shifted her weight to her left leg and sobbed into his shoulder. He shushed her quietly, rocking them back and forth gently outside of the stall door. Her entire body jerked when there was another shot, this one closer than any of the others, and he stiffened.

"I'm scared." She sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay. I've got you. You're okay." He mumbled softly. "We'll be okay." She felt his cold arms encircle her firmly, one hand running up and down her back as she cried.

"Thank you." She whispered, trying to get herself under control.

"You don't have to thank me for anything, silly." He murmured, kissing her forehead gently. He pulled back slightly and she winced when she put weight on her right foot. Reaching her hand out, she caught herself on his arm before she fell. "Woah. What happened?" She glanced up, biting her lip.

"Nothing. I almost fell and I think I twisted it." He smirked briefly at her usual clumsiness, but the smile disappeared when he heard something. He reached out and took her hand abruptly.

"Come on. We need to get out of here."


	3. Chapter 3

Emmett wrapped his arm wrapped around his little human sister, staying on her right side and supporting part of her weight as they carefully walked toward the bathroom door. "Wait." He whispered, letting her lean against the wall and then moving in front of her. If anyone was out there, he wasn't about to let them get a clear shot at her. If he got shot, he would grab her, run as fast as he could without causing more suspicion, and then they would just have to move. He hated the thought, especially since Bella would be leaving her father behind, but they certainly weren't leaving her. He reached out, placing a palm against the door, and listened, focusing on the sound of the frantic heartbeats nearby, waiting to see if he could hear any footsteps.

All of a sudden, Emmett realized that he could smell blood. Groaning softly, he turned his head away from Bella, clenching his teeth and taking deep breaths, trying to accustom himself to it. It wasn't safe to be this close to Bella when he was so close to fresh human blood, but he couldn't slip up now. He'd once told Edward to just go ahead and kill Bella, that he would be able to move on eventually. He'd encouraged his brother to end his own torture and just give in to the thirst. That thought made him physically ill now, something he hadn't thought he was capable of anymore, and he shoved it away. Nothing would be hurting his baby sister today.

A hand landed on his shoulder and he turned, looking into Bella's deep brown eyes that were closer than they had been before. "Are you okay?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but he could hear her perfectly.

He thought about sugar coating it, but they were hiding from a person with a gun in a high school women's rest room, so it was already bad enough…besides, sugar coating had never been his style. "Someone's dead in the hallway." He paused briefly when she blanched. "I can smell the blood." To his surprise, she didn't move away or show any type of wariness; instead her eyes softened and she moved closer, resting her chin against his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked again. He gave her a half smile, ruffling her hair.

"Yea. I'm fine. Wait here, okay. I'm just going to check to make sure no one's out there." She nodded, leaning against the wall behind him, trying to keep weight off her right food. Suddenly, his wrist was gripped in her hand in an urgent gesture.

"Wait!" She hissed. He turned to her in concerned surprise.

"What?"

"It won't…if…" She stopped, tripping over her words as her face reddened. Finally she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "It won't hurt you, will it? If they shoot you?"

Emmett had to cover his mouth to hold in the laugh. It wouldn't do for them to be caught now. But she was actually worried for him. Underneath the amusement, he was touched. She was obviously terrified, but she took the time to worry that he was going to be okay. He managed to shake his head and mumble an 'of course not', reaching up to affectionately ruffle her hair and then kiss her forehead, and then turned back to the door, pushing it open, the strong scent of blood almost sending him over the edge. A hand touched his back and he almost turned to growl at her, his instincts telling him to protect his dinner, but the dominant part of his brain reminded him that he would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt his sister.

He brought a hand up to cover hers as he looked around, forcing himself to calm down. There was a boy on the ground, one he didn't really recognize. The kid was in Bella's year…or had been. There wasn't a heartbeat. Emmett sighed, knowing that Bella would have to see this. Gently, he pulled away from Bella and craned his neck around the wall, checking in both directions. The doors were all closed, the lights out. One of the windows in a classroom door was shattered, and he realized it was room 207…Bella's classroom. He mumbled a prayer of thanks that she hadn't been in the room. Still, he wondered if they would find any more dead bodies…and if they would meet the person responsible.

Emmett checked his watch. It had been less than twenty minutes since the first shot, and he didn't want to be in this building when the next shot happened. Turning a little, he held a hand out to Bella, pulling her close to his side and supporting her weight. He couldn't carry her yet, since they were still on camera, and he didn't want her on his back, just in case the shooter came up behind them. "Come on." He whispered. He pulled her away from where she was staring at the corpse, her face almost green, and her hand covering her mouth. Forcing her head against his shoulder, he turned them, remembering that the sight and, apparently, smell, of blood made her ill. "Don't look. Come on."

He pulled her along, sighing softly as she stumbled along beside him until they were at the head of the stairs. He thought about picking her up now, since it would apparently be slow going with her ankle, when he heard footsteps. 'Of course.' He thought irritably. Turning quickly, he pushed Bella behind him until she was standing on one of the steps below him, her body completely hidden behind his broad shoulders. "Leave us alone." He demanded, staring down the barrel of the gun without fear. "We're trying to leave. Let us go."

He knew the boy. Well….he didn't really know him…he knew of him. He knew that Bella had a class with him, and that he'd once picked up one of the kid's books in the hallway, placing it back in his hands with a distracted half smile as he thought about a hunt the next day. He knew that he'd once caught the kid staring at Jasper with a dreamy expression on his face, and had teased his brother relentlessly for weeks. 'Jack?' He tried to remember hearing his name, but couldn't. 'Maybe Jim…' He knew it started with a J. For a brief moment, he was irritated. He so rarely forgot names.

"Jackson?" He closed his eyes and sighed when he heard Bella's voice, thick with fear, as she poked her head around him. "What are you doing?" She sounded so much younger…looked so much more breakable when she stepped beside him, standing behind his giant arm that rose to keep her back, staring into the eyes of a boy that was now aiming a gun at her. "Jackson?" Emmett watched a tear fall from the corner of her eye and wondered how well she knew him.

"I had to Bella." The boy's voice was rough, and Emmett wondered how old he really was. Seventeen, if he had to guess, maybe eighteen. Too young to look so defeated. "You don't understand." He was pleading with the girl he was pointing a gun at, his eyes wide and fearful. "You don't know what they did…"

"Please…Jackson. Don't. I know that…"

"No!" The boy screamed, taking another step forward and pointing the gun at her head as Emmett moved again, his eyes blazing as he took a protective stance in front of her and wondered if she was trying to get herself killed. "You don't know! You have no f***ing idea!" Bella tried to move around him once again, one hand fisted in Emmett's shirt, but he was having none of it. She was only safe behind him, and so behind him she would stay.

"You're right." Emmett spoke calmly as he firmly held Bella behind him. "We don't. We don't know anything. So we're going to go, okay? We're going to walk down the stairs, and leave the building. Okay? We just want to leave. We never did anything to you." As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake, but it was too late.

"You never did anything to stop it!" The boy screamed, moving closer. Emmett couldn't back up anymore without shoving Bella down the stairs, so he reached back to take her hand, starting to lean back slowly and hoping that she would take the hint. She did, but the kid started screaming again, making her pause. "Why didn't anyone stop them!?" Bella shook her head, moving so that she was closer to his side again.

"I didn't know." She told him simply, her eyes sincere. "I honestly didn't know that anyone was hurting you, Jackson." The gun was trained on her again, and Emmett didn't dare move; she was farther away from him this time, having slipped around his arm to plead with the blue-eyed boy.

"I'll bet you didn't!" Jackson snapped. "Especially not after you took up with those freaks!" She flinched a bit, glancing briefly over at Emmett who felt her eyes but was focused on glaring at the boy. "You know what people are saying, right?" Now his eyes were cruel, his smile hateful. "That Edward passes you around, that big brother here is getting in on the action. It's almost as bad as what they say about me." He grinned, shaking his head at the hurt tears that filled her eyes. "Do you let his dad…." Emmett couldn't bear to let him finish that sentence. In half a second his arm dropped from where he was trying to block Bella. He caught a glimpse of her pale, stunned face and decided that he was going to kill this guy right here, screw the cameras. They would move if they had to, and Emmett would just beat him to death at human speed. That might be more fun anyway. He was only a few feet away from the boy when the gun went off.

Emmett froze in his tracks, his eyes following the trajectory of the gun until the bullet slammed into Bella, throwing her back towards the stairs before she caught herself on the railing, her small hands wrapping around the metal bar, jerking her body to a halt. It felt like hours passed as she screamed and he remained frozen, her knees buckling and slamming down on the concrete steps, her face contorted in agony as she used the metal bar to keep her from falling down the rest of the stairs. He realized that there was another sound echoing through the hallway, and discovered that he was screaming.

All at once he was at her side, his arm around her, pulling her into his lap as he scanned her body, carefully turning them so that he was sitting on one of the stairs. Her left arm was covered in blood, and he took a moment to be thankful that it was only her shoulder that the bullet had pierced. This he could deal with. "Sorry." He looked at her face incredulously as he frantically ripped his jacket off, then ripped off a piece of fabric from the bottom to wrap it around her arm. Briefly, he watched as the boy…Jackson, raced past them, disappearing as he ran down the stairs and around the corner. "Sorry Emmett. Bleeding." She mumbled again, and then began to shake, her entire body trembling in his arms as tears fell from her eyes. He laid the jacket over her carefully and shook his head as he fought back sobs.

"Hush." He choked out, trying to make his voice level. "Hush Bella. I've got you. You're going to be fine." Honestly, he couldn't think of anything he desired less than her blood at this moment as he tied the cloth firmly around her shoulder and then picked her up in his arms, keeping the jacket wrapped around her. "I'm taking you to the hospital You're going to be fine."

"Carlisle?" She asked quietly. He shook his head as he walked down the stairs, stiffening when he heard another shot, but kept going. There was no way he was jumping out of the window with her in this condition, so the front door was really his best choice. If the boy pointed the gun at them again, he would live to regret it….well, not live. Not for long, anyway.

"They're still out. But they'll probably be back soon so don't worry. Alice will have seen what happened." He desperately hoped that everyone would be home soon. There wasn't anyone he trusted more than Carlisle to treat her, and no one would take better care of her than Esme. However, Edward was going to be unbearable for a while. He rolled his eyes at the thought before pushing it away. Everyone, including himself, was going to be unbearable for a while. She was too important for him to think otherwise. He wondered briefly how she would feel about homeschooling. Between the seven of them, she would get a great education.

He reached the final step and began to jog smoothly toward the front entrance, not even stopping to glance at Jackson's corpse a few feet away. Bella was his only priority at the moment. The door opened before he got to it, and a group of men dressed in black entered, whispering into their radios. The caught a glimpse of him and waved him forward. Without bothering to inform them that the shooter was dead, along with at least one other student, he raced outside, starting for the line of ambulances, when a black Mercedes slid into the parking lot, coming to an abrupt halt, and a blonde vampire leapt out, followed by a short, spiky haired female he recognized immediately. Taking a long, relieved breath, Emmett managed a shaky, grateful smile for his father as the man ran over at a speed acceptable for a human, if just barely, as Emmett moved closer and away from where the S.W.A.T. team and the town's sheriff department were standing. Alice was beside them after another second.

"How is she?" Carlisle demanded softly, placing one hand on her forehead and another on her shoulder as Alice took the girl's hand and flinched at the smell of blood.

"It isn't bad as far as I can tell. I haven't had a chance to check really…" Carlisle nodded and paused in his examination to give Emmett a fond smile and squeeze his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, Emmett. You did very well. Here." He reached out and took her from his arms. "Take off that shirt…it'll be easier for you, and drive my car to the hospital. I'm going to ride with her in the ambulance. Alice, ride with Emmett." Emmett and Alice both nodded, and Emmett shed his shirt, leaving his sister in their father's very capable hands. Before he could reach the car, however, there was shouting behind him, and he recognized Charlie's voice at once. Closing his eyes in irritation, he turned abruptly, throwing his shirt on the ground and stepping in front of his father and sisters.

"Don't!" He snarled as the distraught man moved closer.

"She's my daughter!" Charlie screamed, moving to shove him out of the way, but Emmett caught his hands in his own and blocked him.

"Charlie!" Carlisle stepped around Emmett and gave his son a gentle reproving look, but that was all it took for the younger vampire to step away and lower his hands, choosing instead to place his hand on Bella's. "She's going to be fine, Charlie. But I have to get her to the hospital before this can get infected, and she might still have the bullet in her. You have to let me do my job." He allowed the man to move closer, watching as he placed a hand on Bella's cheek.

"I didn't….I never meant…Carlisle I can't lose my daughter!" He looked at the doctor with anxious eyes, and Emmett felt a little of his anger toward the man chip away.

"You won't. Not to a bullet. Not if you let me take her to the hospital. You can visit her in a little while. Alright?" The sheriff stepped back reluctantly, his misty eyes following Carlisle as the man hurried his daughter into the ambulance, and Emmett ran to his father's car behind Alice, climbing inside and speeding off toward the hospital, glad that he was almost guaranteed not to get a ticket since the entire Forks police force was here at the school.

Emmett glanced over at an uncharacteristically quiet Alice after a few minutes of driving. "We split up." She informed him quietly, her voice thick with grief. "Jasper and Edward wanted to catch up with some mountain lions or something…I was going to come back today and surprise Bella, so I was heading back with Carlisle and Esme when I had the vision. I don't think Jackson made the decision until about half hour ago…he brought the gun every day this week. I think he saw one of the guys that was bullying him in the hall and he just took out the gun." Emmett remained silent. He would have no sympathy for the boy that shot his little sister. "Three students are dead. Two are in critical condition…one is friend of Angela's" He flinched at that. She was probably the nicest human girl, besides Bella, he'd ever met. That girl was just genuinely sweet all the time. He smirked when he remembered Edward's part in getting her together with Ben. "You'er going to find out anyway..." He glanced up at her hesitant voice. "He didn't decide to shoot Bella…that's why I didn't see..." She was speaking softly, her voice gentle. "He was a terrible shot…could only hit someone at point blank." She trailed off sadly.

"Oh God." He whispered, closing his eyes. "He was aiming for me."

"You were protecting her." Alice reached over and touched his hand where it rested on the steering wheel, his hands clenching the plastic. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known he'd miss…" Emmett couldn't answer. At the moment, all he was capable of was keeping his foot pressed against the gas pedal and keeping the car on the road. Alice kept speaking after a long pause. "Edward will come back with Jasper in an hour or so…I didn't want him getting worked up in public over all this…he'll read Esme's thoughts as soon as he sees her, and the three of them will be here in about an hour and a half. We were already on our way back…Esme went toward them..." Emmett placed a hand in the air between them.

"Please shut up Alice." She took his hand and squeezed gently, his tortured voice making tears she could never shed fill her eyes.

Inside the ambulance, Carlisle took Bella's hand as he quietly watched the EMTs do their jobs, forcing himself not to start barking orders. They knew how to do their jobs. He glanced down at her again, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. She hadn't acknowledged him yet, and he wondered if it was because she was unconscious or because she was in too much pain. Hoping she wasn't going into shock, he glanced between her pale face and the monitor with her stats. They seemed to be stable, or as stable as he could hope for, he he hoped that this was going to be a quick recovery. He wanted this incident behind them as quickly as possible. He knew that wasn't really possible though. The entire town was going to be in mourning if what Alice had seen was correct. Three students, all under eighteen and all horrific bullies, were dead. Two others, one a football player with a prejudice against anyone the slightest bit different from him, and another, a good kid who had tried to stop a murder, may be dead in a day or so. Carlisle shook his head, not wanting to dwell on it. In his lifetime, he'd seen his fair share of bullies and killers. It always had the same terrible ending.

Instead, he thought of his little girl, the mate of his oldest and youngest son, depending on how he looked at it. She was the first human any of them had allowed themselves to get close to, and he was more grateful than he could ever say, and even more grateful that she was now living with them. From the day he'd met her in the emergency room, he'd seen the way Edward looked at her, a look so unlike anything he had ever seen from his moody son, but a look so protective and kind that he'd immediately began wondering if letting her into their family was possible. The change between then and when she'd visited their house the first time had been starting. Edward had been so in love with her at that point that Esme had joked that they'd better get her a room ready. Of course, Edward spent most of his nights at her house, but Carlisle had never been adverse to the idea. She was certainly loved by the rest of his family, minus Rosalie who took more time to accept the girl. He'd watched as his sons, Emmett especially, had become protective of the girl, teasing her good-naturedly while keeping an eye on her. Jasper had gone with Bella and Alice when James had become a threat, managing to keep his control even while in a hotel room with her. And of course, Alice had, in her own way, been the start to all of it, declaring that Bella was her best friend and that she loved her, even before they met.

Since she'd moved in, they'd all been happier. It was interesting to have a human among them, but all were willing to do whatever it took to make her more comfortable. Then again, she rarely asked anything of them. His thoughts went back to her most recent problem that she'd hidden from them: calculus. She'd stayed cooped up in her little study for hours at a time, and though they'd all worried, he'd insisted they wait until she approached them, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. But he'd not been able to wait any longer when he'd walked in at nearly three a.m. to find her crying her heart out, embarrassed and ashamed because she 'couldn't do it.' He'd quickly realized that she wasn't going to go to anyone for help and that he was going to have to use his best judgement, which, at the time, meant forcing her to go to bed. After that, she'd accepting his help willingly enough, and had gratefully accepted help from the others as well when they offered. But she'd never ask. She hadn't asked for the study or the books or the clothes, and she certainly hadn't asked for the new laptop he had waiting in his car trunk, a gift he'd picked up on his way to the hunting trip. Bella hated having any money spent on her, something he knew Edward found both frustrating and endearing, and something the rest of them ignored completely.

Carlisle was brought out of his musings when the girl moaned softly. "Bella?" He whispered, realizing that the flurry of activity surrounding her seemed to have slowed to an almost halt. "Can you hear me sweetheart?"

"Dad?" She whimpered, her hand closing around him.

"Carlisle." He corrected her gently. "Your dad is still at the school."

"Dad." She mumbled again, this time in relief, as her hand squeezed his. "Glad you're back. Missed you." He closed his eyes against the emotions that hit him all at once and leaned over, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"I missed you too, Bella."


	4. Chapter 4

"You know what people are saying, right?" Bella felt her breath catch. "That Edward passes you around, that big brother here is getting in on the action. It's almost as bad as what they say about me." He grinned, shaking his head at the hurt tears that filled her eyes. "Do you let his dad…."

Bella knew exactly what people were saying, but she never thought she'd hear something like this from Jackson, the sweet, usually shy boy who sat behind her in history and who had a crush on Jasper.

Jackson had moved to the area shortly after the Cullens left and was still considered new. After they'd moved back, she'd caught him watching when Jasper had met her outside of the history classroom, and again when they all sat together at lunch, a change from her habit of sitting in silence with Angela and Ben. The next day, he'd tapped her on the shoulder before class started. "Bella, right?" He'd whispered, leaning forward. She'd turned in her seat with a smile.

"Yea. And you're Jackson?" He'd offered her small grin.

"Yea. Um…I was just wondering…you're dating the Cullen guy, right?"

Instantly wary, she had bitten her lip. "Yes. Edward and I are dating."

"Um…is it true that his brother is…with his sister? Like…that they're dating? I mean, the blonde guy. Jasper?"

"Yes. Jasper and Alice are foster siblings, and they are together." She'd been prepared for the judgmental disgust, but had been surprised when he only looked disappointed.

"Oh." He'd said simply, looking back at his book.

"Do you…do you like Jasper?" She'd whispered in surprise, leaning forward.

"No!" He'd snapped a little too loudly, and then looked around anxiously, lowering his voice. "Of course not. And don't go around saying I do! I'm not…" She'd cut him off there, her voice cool.

"I wasn't going to. And furthermore, I don't care if you like him. But he's with Alice." Turning around irritably, she'd ignored him for the rest of the period, meeting up with Edward after class, and they had gone to lunch together like every other day. On their way, however, Jackson had run up behind them, catching Bella's free hand and pulling her to a stop along with an irritated Edward. As a rule, Edward got irritable when another guy touched her, so it didn't really surprise her.

"Wait! Bella!" He'd pulled her around to face him, missing the soft growl that tore from Edward's throat, but not missing his glare. Quickly, he'd dropped her hand and backed up half a step. "Sorry." He looked back at Bella. "Sorry…I mean…about earlier. I didn't mean to be a jerk." Bella noticed Edward's eyes narrow and then go wide in surprise as he read the boy's thoughts.

She offered him a small smile. "I know you didn't. It's fine. Don't worry about it." He'd left them alone then, and Edward had looked at her in surprise.

"He likes Jasper?" He'd asked quietly.

"Yes, but please don't tease Jackson for it. And don't tell Jasper!" He's seemed genuinely surprised then.

"Why would I tease him about that?"

"I…I didn't know how you guys felt about…well, that. A guy being attracted to you." Edward had shaken his head as he walked with her into the cafeteria.

"It's happened plenty of times, and we certainly aren't offended by it, if that's what you mean. Usually it's me they go after, since Emmett and Jasper are both taken, but not always. A guy asked Emmett out at our last school." Bella felt her eyes widen.

"Oh no! What did he do?" She'd asked, cringing in embarrassment for the poor kid, wondering if Emmett had been harsh.

Edward lifted an eyebrow. "Emmett politely told him that he was engaged and left it at that. Why? What did you think he would do?" Bella shook her head, a little ashamed now. "Anyway, Jasper probably knows already. He would be able to feel Jackson's emotions." They hadn't spoken of it again, although she had heard Emmett tease Jasper about it for a while.

But Emmett wasn't playing around now. His teeth were bared and he was moving almost too fast for a human, his eyes intent on Jackson. Before she could call out to him, beg him to stop, the gun had went off. For a half of a second, she thought Emmett was going to be shot and felt another wave or irrational fear for him. 'What if it hurts him? I know it's not supposed to but….' That thought was cut off when something slammed into her.

The pain in her shoulder was immediate, and she grabbed the handrail with every bit of strength she had as she was thrown backward, a pained cry forced from her throat. Emmett shouted her name, his voice echoing through the hallway, but everything was a blur for a moment as she fell to he knees on the sitars. "Gotcha." She heard him mumble as he appeared beside her, his arms encircling her, keeping her from falling the rest of the way down the stairs. She tried not to cry out as he moved her, sitting on the step so that she was in his lap, her head resting against his shoulder and one on his hands against her head, stroking her hair. There were rushed footsteps by them and she was surprised that Emmett didn't run over and rip the kid apart, his eyes were so cold and furious.

Her eyes began to droop as he pulled his jacket off. "Sorry." She mumbled, trying to keep still as she heard fabric ripping. "Sorry Emmett. Bleeding." She could feel the warm liquid trickle down her arm and thought she might throw up, but she was too concerned for Emmett, knowing this must be terrible for him. Apparently her blood smell wonderful, and she hated putting him through this. Pained tears fell from her eyes and trickled down her face, and she started shaking, chilled despite the jacket on top of her. Something was being wrapped firmly around her arm.

"Hush." His voice was thick and rough, and she wasn't sure she'd ever heard him sound like that. "Hush Bella. You're going to be fine." She felt herself being lifted and stifled a whimper. "I'm taking you to the hospital. You're going to be fine."

"Carlisle?" She mumbled. Suddenly, with an urgency and desperation that surprised her, she wanted her second father. He would know exactly what to do, how to treat her, how to comfort her. She wanted him to be back from his trip and to hold her like he did when she was really upset. And she wanted Jasper to calm her down, and Edward to kiss her and stay with her like he always did, comforting her with his presence. Still, she was immensely grateful for Emmett who held her gently but firmly to his large chest. Despite the fact that there was a shooter in the school somewhere, she felt perfectly safe.

As if the universe wasn't quite ready for her to feel safe again, there was another shot. She felt Emmett stiffen but he didn't slow as he hurried down the stairs. "They're still out. But they'll probably be back soon so don't worry. Alice will have seen what happened." Instantly she was worried about Edward. He wouldn't take the news well, and she didn't want him to worry. Just thinking about that made her tired again, and she realized she must still be losing a lot of blood…and it was probably dripping onto Emmett's shirt. But she couldn't really think about that, or anything else, and she realized that she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open.

Bella realized she must have passed out for a moment because the next thing she knew, she was outside, in someone else's arms. And they were talking in an urgent, soft voice. "You can visit her in a little while. Alright?" The voice promised someone.

'Carlisle.' Her brain supplied, suddenly up to working again. 'Dad's back.' She started to speak but honestly it just felt like too much effort, so she let her head rest against his cold shoulder until she felt him climb into the back of a dark space and lay her on an uncomfortable bed. There were other people with them, mumbling and pricking her, but she forced herself to focus on the cold, masculine hand holding hers. It felt like forever before she was able to make her mouth work. Finally she forced out a soft moan, trying to turn her head, but her body felt heavy.

"Bella? Can you hear me, sweetheart?"

"Dad?" It wasn't exactly what she was trying to say, but she was getting closer.

"Carlisle." She frowned a bit. Did he mind if she called him dad? "Your dad is still at the school"

After a second of deliberating, she decided to ignore that. If he told her later that he didn't want her calling him 'dad', then she would say she must have been drugged or something. For now, all she could think about was how happy she was that he was with her. "Dad." She squeezed his hand as hard as she could, knowing she couldn't hurt him. "Glad you're back. Missed you."

There was a moment's pause, then hard, icy lips were pressed to her forehead, a gesture so unique to her new family that her heart soared. "I missed you too, Bella." She managed a soft smile and opened her eyes a little, barely able to make out Carlisle's silhouette in the dark ambulance. Two EMTs were sitting on her other side, whispering something about a g.s.w., whatever that meant.

"Emmett?" She wondered softly. "He okay?" Carlisle leaned forward so that she could see him better, taking her hand in both of his.

"He's fine. He's probably already at the hospital with Alice. She came back from the camping trip too." She was confused for a second, then remembered the other people in the ambulance. She nodded slightly.

"Edward?"

He squeezed her hand gently. "Still camping with Jasper and Esme. They were off hiking on their own and Esme waited for them to get back so she could tell them. We didn't get cell service there. They'll be here soon."

"Can we keep this a secret from Edward? He already thinks I'm accident prone." She joked, hoping to erase the solemn look on his face. It worked; Carlisle laughed loudly.

"I very much doubt it, but we can try. Do you think he'll notice you're lying in a hospital bed when he gets back?" She smiled, laughing weakly, but all amusement vanished when the ambulance bounced as if the wheel had hit a pothole, and she cried out. The pain in her shoulder, which had receded to the back of her mind, was now front and center once again.

"Dad!" She cried out, knowing he was the one with the most medical experience here. Immediately his hands were on her arms, holding her still and carefully avoiding her wounded shoulder. "Hurts." She sobbed, squeezing his hand.

"Shh! Sh, Bella, sweetie. I'm right here. It's okay. We're almost at the hospital." She felt his fingers on her face and realized he was wiping away the tears that had fallen without her permission. "You're going to be fine. Just a few more minutes." The pain was receding again, but she was still crying. He kept his hand on her face, comforting her and whispering to her softly, wiping her tears until the ambulance finally stopped. As soon as they were parked, she heard him whisper that he would see her in just a little while, say something to the EMTs, and then he was gone.

"Dad? Don't go…" She whimpered, knowing he could hear her even though he was probably halfway across the parking lot, but realistically she knew that he had to get ready if he was going to help her. Swallowing her tears and wishing for her family, she tried to relax on the little bed as they wheeled her into a brightly lit room and started to lift her.

"Wait!" They all froze and she felt herself lifted into two cold arms. Although she had no idea what was going on, she felt him carrying her down a long hallway, the lights growing a little dimmer, and she clutched at his lab coat. "It's okay. I'm taking you to a room, okay? And we're going to check your shoulder and you're going to be fine."

Alice glanced over at Emmett once again, then looked down at his giant hand sandwiched between two of her own, then at the other people in the waiting room, glad that her overly muscled brother had been able to procure a new shirt somehow. He had his head in his other hand and hadn't moved since the receptionist had told them that their father had Bella in surgery a few minutes ago. Although Alice had told him that Carlisle probably just needed to get the bullet out and that Bella would be fine, he was refusing to talk to her. She sighed softly, an unnecessary gesture, but it made her feel a little better. She could see that Bella would be fine, but she hadn't even seen that Bella was going to be shot until a little while ago.

Jasper and Edward had been roughhousing that morning, laughing and tumbling around in the dirt like overgrown boys. Esme and Carlisle had looked on in fond amusement, while Alice sat with her back against a boulder, perfectly still, as she sifted through the future. Everything was fine back home…Bella wasn't hungry and Emmett was a bit worried, but she would be fine. Emmett threw a ball too hard in P.E. and faked an injury so he could sit out, too frustrated to play anymore.

Edward and Jasper had spent more time playing than feeding, and so, after checking Alice's mind to make sure Bella was okay with Emmett, he'd suggested going further north where there were more large cats. Carlisle and Esme wanted to return later that day, so they'd declined, as had Alice, who wanted to hang out with Bella later. Rosalie had elected to go off on her own at the start of the trip, not one for family time without Emmett, and they hadn't heard from her in a while, but no one was worried. She would probably return home in a day or so.

Alice had sifted through her visions again as they'd made their way back, hanging back so that Carlisle and Esme could have privacy. Emmett cornered Bella before lunch and forced her to eat. Alice laughed softly at the image as they walked at a leisurely pace, waving off the curious look Esme threw back at her. Then Bella in calculus, staring into space. Alice smiled at that. Emmett had taken her through the chapter the night before and most of her homework for the next day was already done, so she was probably bored. Switching to Emmett, she found him doodling a picture of Edward getting eaten by a bear. She laughed at that one; she'd have to show it to Edward later.

Suddenly she was seeing something else. Bella was balanced on top of a toilet, tears falling down her face. "Bella?" She spoke softly into the quiet afternoon, and immediately Carlisle and Esme were in front of her, their eyes concerned. "She's…crying? She's hiding in the bathroom…why…oh God!" She had placed a hand over her mouth when Jackson shot the Soccer player in the head at point blank, the corpse falling limply to the tiled floor in the school. "Carlisle!" His hand was on her shoulder, his eyes wide in alarm. "A boy brought a gun to school…he's brought it all week I think, but he's using it now. He's killing students, Carlisle! They're on lockdown! Bella's in the bathroom!" Carlisle had turned urgently to Esme.

"I'll go get the boys…Edward shouldn't be there just yet." Carlisle had nodded in agreement.

"Make your way back. He'll read it in your thoughts when you get close, so be careful. I'll call you." He turned and began to run, Alice on his heels as the image flashed in front of her eyes. "Emmett's going to go get her…no one is making decisions until the last minute!" She cried in frustration. "I can only see things as they happen…Bella's hurt I think…she twisted her ankle or something." Carlisle kept an eye on her, waiting for the next update as they flew towards his car. "He's got her." Carlisle relaxed a bit. "They're leaving…" Suddenly she couldn't speak. Her legs locked and she came to a complete stop, barely noticing as Carlisle jerked to a halt in front of her and then ran back to stand beside her.

"Alice?" His words seemed to move through a fog.

"He's going to shoot Emmett…he can't aim…no…Carlisle we have to go!" She had cried, grabbing his hand and jerking him forward, forcing both of them into a run again. "He can't aim…Emmett's going to get mad and he's going to…" They were at the car, Alice was already in the front seat, and Carlisle sped off toward Forks. "He shot her." She had whispered.

After that, Carlisle had pushed his car as fast as it would go, speeding toward the school. It had only taken a few minutes to get there, thankfully, and they had met Emmett outside where he stood with Bella in his arms, shirt covered in blood and eyes terrified. She'd never really seen her brother so scared, nor had she seen Carlisle so frantic. When Charlie had called out to them, she had honestly thought that she would have to restrain her father; his face was so violently angry. But he had calmed himself, and, after dispatching with the chief, had climbed into the ambulance with Bella while Emmett sped off.

Now she didn't know what to do. Despite the fact that Bella was physically going to be okay, she was worried. 'What if she gets PTSD? What if she can't go back to school? What if Emmett can't get over this?' She shook her head to dislodge the thoughts and squeezed Emmett's hand. Hopefully he would speak to Bella soon so that he would know that she was fine. Hopefully Edward and Jasper would be with her soon. She wanted her husband and her brother. She wanted her mother. Heck, she wanted Rosalie.

Before Bella, it had been rare that they'd all been together like this. Of course, moving from town to town did discourage making outside friends, and they usually hunted together, but they'd seemed to exist in groups. Carlisle worked and would spend time with Esme. Rosalie and Emmett spent most of their time together, in and out of school. She and Jasper talked or just sat together. Sometimes she would play around with Edward. Sometimes the boys would hang out or they would play games as a family. But they'd never all gathered around together in a hospital for one of their own, giving support and comfort in a too-bright room, until Bella had joined them.

That first time, it had been James. Throughout the night, they had all huddled together, each with their mates, except for Edward who refused to leave Bella. But Alice had been worried then too, and Jasper had held her on his lap and Rosalie had kept quiet about how much she disliked Bella and Esme had held one of Emmett's hands while he used to other to hold Alice's. All night he'd been a silent comfort to her. Like any other vampire, he would accept no threat against his mate, but neither would he accept any threat against his little sister, or against his brother, or against his parents. They were a family, and for the first time in that hospital room, she had caught a glimpse of how being a part of a human family might feel.

Now she would do the same for Emmett until the others arrived. She scooted closer to her bear of a brother, resting her forehead against his shoulder, and he turned, lifting his arm so that it was around her shoulder, holding her close. She closed her eyes, letting her big brother hold her for a while, before she heard a soft voice. They both looked up and found Carlisle in fresh scrubs and a new lab coat. His eyes softened as he sat down beside them, reaching over and taking Alice's hand. "She's fine." He looked first into Emmett's eyes, and then Alice's. "She's asleep now, and she'll probably sleep for a few hours, but she's going to be fine. The surgery was perfect, no major damage, and the blood loss in under control." Alice threw her arms around him and sobbed once in relief. Emmett, however, remained still, his tortured eyes locked on Carlisle's as their father rubbed Alice's back. "You did a fantastic job protecting her, Emmett." Carlisle told him firmly. "She might have died had it not been for you."  
"I got angry. He was saying…everyone's gossiping about her living with us, and people are saying…" He shook his head, not even wanting to say it aloud. "I got angry and I let her get too far away. He wanted to shoot me."

"It isn't your fault that he can't aim."  
"I should have just gotten her out of there…I should have just grabbed her and run!"

Carlisle lifted an eyebrow when his son began to shout. "Probably." He said mildly. "But you didn't. And you can't change that. You protected your sister. She'd going to be okay. This is not your fault, this is that boy's fault for using a gun to deal with his problems, and for deciding to shoot innocent people." Emmett sighed, dropping his head in his hands again, and Carlisle pulled away from Alice to move beside his son, wrapping his arms around the younger vampire. "You did so well." He said softly, squeezing his son who threw his arms around his father. "I am so proud that you were able to show such restraint with your sister." Alice stood when Emmett started to sob, his worry for Bella and his frustration finally showing in tears he couldn't shed. She walked over to the door and stepped outside, giving them a moment. She was just glad that she had been right, that Bella would be okay.

With that knowledge, she was able to turn her thoughts back to Edward who, surely, was nearly back to Forks by now with Esme and Jasper in tow. She hoped so. Bella would certainly want Edward nearby now that she was out of danger, and the chances of Edward leaving her side for the next month or so were slim. Alice couldn't help but agree with the idea. While Bella was breakable, she needed protection, more so than the average human apparently.

'Speak of the devil and he shall come.' She grinned as silver Volvo screeched to a halt in the hospital parking lot, knowing that he was listening intently to her thoughts. 'She's fine. Carlisle just came out of surgery.' Apparently Carlisle had called Esme at some point, because she wasn't sure how else they would know to come to the hospital. She watched as Edward jumped out of the car followed by Jasper and Esme. 'She's still asleep.' He hugged her quickly on his way inside and was followed by Esme, and then Alice found herself alone with Jasper who pulled her into his arms, his lips pressed against the top of her head.

"Is she okay?" He asked softly, his eyes sad as he pulled away to look into her eyes intently. She could feel her own emotions shift in response to his own projected ones, guilt, fear, anger…helplessness.

Gently, she reached up to touch his face, running a thumb over his scarred cheek. "She's going to be fine."


	5. Chapter 5

Esme sat in the waiting room on the other side of Emmett, who was sobbing into her husband's shoulder. Gently she ran her hand up and down his back, her eyes filling uncomfortably. Carlisle met her eyes and reached out a hand to touch her face, his eyes gentle. She smiled at her mate, squeezing his hand. "Is she okay?" She whispered. He nodded, his eyes pained. Her own unbeating heart clenched in response to his suffering. He loved Bella; loved her exactly like he loved Edward and Jasper and Emmett and Alice, even Rosalie, although Rosalie would often use him as a target for her frustrations and anger.

But his love for Bella was also different. The day Carlisle had arrived home from the hospital after meeting the human girl, he'd already been affected. "Kept saying she was 'fine' and asking if she could go home." He had chuckled softly as he lay beside her in the bed, his head propped up by his hand so that he could look at her. "Then she tripped over her own feet trying to get up. Poor girl…she was so embarrassed about the whole ordeal. And her father…" He'd trailed off for a moment, his expression one of disapproval.

"I'm sure Chief Swan loves his daughter very much." Esme had contradicted softly. "He's been so excited to have her. I think he's quite lonely." Carlisle had smiled at her a bit distractedly, taking her hand in his.

"I know he loves her. But…he came in shouting at the poor kid that caused the accident….you know the boy just slid on some ice. And he was so gruff with her. I know it was just because he was worried, and I think she did too…but…" Esme had leaned forward to kiss him then, her hand squeezing his. She knew exactly what he was thinking; she didn't need Edward's gift for that. He was putting Alice or Rosalie in Bella's place, or probably any of his children, had they been vulnerable to such an accident. Their children were so rarely hurt, but she remembered how he'd found Rosalie…how he'd tried so desperately to soothe her as she transformed, screaming that she was on fire and begging to be killed.

Of course when she'd woken up and screamed at him, telling him that he should have just let her die, Esme had felt his hurt and had even resented the girl for a moment…something she was immediately ashamed of. But a few days later, she'd watched from the doorway as Carlisle held his new daughter while she sobbed out apologies into his shoulder.

Emmett had been the complete opposite. Esme had sat by Carlisle, Edward, and Rosalie's side as they waited for the large, burly young man to wake, and had been as stunned as the rest of her family when the boy had, after recovering from the initial surprise, excitedly begun asking questions, demanded to see himself in a mirror, and had set out to catch the grizzly bear that had mauled him.

The boys rarely required any kind of comfort from their father, but there was a deep respect there, and it showed in the way that all three of them dealt with their adopted parents. Jasper had been different at first, hesitant about a diet he saw as strange but amazing, and she had felt his anguish every time he slipped up. But Carlisle had immediately taken a role as a father figure to the near stranger, reassuring him whenever necessary, and letting him vent when he needed to. Of course, Alice was by his side the whole time, and her gratitude toward Carlisle and Esme for taking them in was apparent every time she threw her arms around them, as familiar as though they had raised her, and kissed their cheeks affectionately.

"You should have seen Edward though." Carlisle had chuckled again; his eyes alight with humor as he pulled back from her. "I've never seen him so taken with anyone. And the way she talks to him!" He'd laughed again, and Esme had smiled at his mood shift. "She's certainly not afraid of him…actually, I think she likes him just as much as he likes her." He had turned solemn again. "She was demanding answers, but she seemed offended when he'd suggested she would tell anyone."

When Esme had finally been able to meet the girl, she'd been overjoyed and excited, turning on the cooking channel and assembling a meal for their guest. But that was briefly forgotten when she'd finally laid eyes on the human girl attached to her son's hand. Of course, Esme had never seen Edward quite so happy or content…or nervous for that matter, but when Bella had smiled at her, a soft, tentative look that eased when Esme had taken her hand and greeted her, Esme had felt her heart melt. The girl had looked around their home with a type of awe, had smiled at Emmett with easy acceptance, and had seemed surprised but delighted to meet Alice, throwing hopeful, hesitant looks at Jasper who was trying so hard to follow Edward's wishes while still seeming friendly, and almsot frightened glances at Rosalie.

Esme sighed now, Emmett's soft sobs bringing her back to the present. She wanted to check on Bella, but her son needed her as well, and she knew that the girl was probably still asleep. She continued rubbing Emmett's back, then scooted closer, resting her forehead against his giant shoulder with a soft sight, her hand still intertwined with her husband's. She glanced up briefly when she felt eyes on them, meeting Edward's murderous ones with surprised, and was about to warn him about blaming his brother when her oldest son's eyes softened, meeting hers with a soft, pained smile, and then he was gone, heading back down the hallway, most likely to find Bella.

She leaned back as Emmett took a deep breath, turning around to her and wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, mom." He'd murmured, squeezing her gently. She smiled as she cupped the back of his head, rocking them briefly. Although everyone in the house saw Esme and Carlisle as their parents, they rarely used the titles, and she was never happier than when they did. She couldn't wait for Emmett to finally see that Bella was fine...he wouldn't be okay again until he could see her for himself.

Edward stormed into the waiting room, his eyes ablaze. He was going to kill Emmett. He was going to rip him apart and….his thoughts were derailed as soon as he caught sight of his giant brother sobbing into his father's shoulder. He took a hesitant step back when Esme spotted him, his face softening. Everyone in his family had a gift for knowing when someone else needed privacy, and right now, Emmett needed time with their parents. He would talk to Emmett about this later...maybe. Right now, he was going to find Bella.

Turning down the hallway, Edward took a deep breath, sorting through the smells of antiseptic, drugs of various sorts, the faint scent of blood, and human bodies to find the familiar sweet scent of Bella. He knew that Carlisle would have set up her in a private room after a surgery, and he knew the hospital well enough that he knew where she would probably be, so finding her would be relatively easy. He pushed the door to the stairwell open and began climbing, making it to the third floor quickly, and stepped into the hallway.

It was about three o'clock, so visiting hours were in full swing, and Edward stepped closer to the wall as he followed her scent, trying to avoid the crowds of people. He guessed that some of these people were here for the shooting victims and grimaced. Trying to read the thoughts of the crowd and figure out who else had been shot, and hoping it was no one Bella was close to, he suddenly felt a presence behind him. "Edward Cullen?" He stiffened in surprise, spinning around to face Angela. He had been so intent on the people in front of him that he hadn't heard her mind.

"Hello Angela." He said courteously, offering her a polite, distracted smile as he looked around, the thoughts of the crowd buzzing in his head.

"I didn't know you knew Tim or Patrick." He frowned in confusion for a moment, then realized what she was saying, catching their faces in her mind. Tim he knew…sort of. He was on a sports team of some type, was a fan of binge drinking and deer hunting, and had once hit one of his girlfriends, and that was all Edward needed to know to despise him. Patrick, on the other hand, was a friend of Angela's and an acquaintance of Bella's. He had never really spoken to the somewhat geeky boy, but knew that he wanted to study medicine and nearly worshiped Carlisle and, by association, all of his children.

"I didn't know that they had been injured…I was camping with my family today. I'm here to see Bella." He said softly, not wanting to be the one to spread the fact that Bella had been hurt but also knowing that Angela was the last person who would start gossip. Immediately the girl's eyes widened in shock, but her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Bella was hurt!?" The thought apparently made her distraught, and Edward took a brief moment to regret the fact that soon, Bella would be leaving her friends behind for good.

"She was in the bathroom when the shooting happened, and Emmett got to her and was going to get her out of the building, but Jackson found them. He shot her in the shoulder, but my father was able to take care of it in surgery." Edward spoke with more confidence than he felt, his heart twisting again in worry for his mate. Angela's eyes filled and she looked down, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"I'll go see her later…she probably needs time with her family." Angela sniffed and looked up at him. "Is Emmett okay?"

Edward smiled at that, his eyes gentle. "Yes. He's fine. Just worried about Bella. We all are."

"Of course. You have all been so good for her." He was surprised to hear that. Popular opinion was that Bella was insane and that the Cullens were either a family of incestuous freaks or members of a cult…or both. But Angela was completely sincere. "Emmett was looking out for her today." She went on. "I think he was worried she wasn't eating…anyway, it's good for her to have someone to take care of her." Angela took a step back, giving him a cheerful smile. "Tell Alice and Bella I said hello. I'd better get back to Ben. Goodbye Edward." She waved and strolled off in the direction of the waiting room, and Edward murmured a goodbye before heading off to Bella's room.

Jasper pressed his lips against Alice's softly, then pulled away. "Edward's been frantic. What happened?" Alice sighed, looping her arms around his neck and leaning against him, her face closer to hers as she whispered.

"Jackson Domac brought a gun to school and killed three guys, and critically injured two more, Tim Roe and Patrick Smith. He was being bullied, I think...you know he…"

"Liked me? Yea…" Jasper's voice was breathless, and she saw the guilt in his eyes.

"He was taunting Bella. You know what people say…about you and Emmett…even Carlisle." She suddenly froze, glancing warily at the hospital and obviously hoping Carlisle hadn't heard. Jasper stiffened, feeling waves of indescribable fury from both Esme and Carlisle.

"He heard." He told her softly. She winced.

"Um…he was saying something about Carlisle…and Emmett was going to kill him right there. Jackson shot at him, but missed and hit Bella." Jasper shut his eyes sorrowfully, leaning his head against Alice's.

He had known from the first time he'd seen Jackson, the day he'd met Bella outside of her History class, a time before she lived with them, a time when hadn't been so sure of his control and had run into her by accident, that the boy with blue eyes had liked him. It had started as surprised interest, then moved on to a crush. Emmett teased him about it for a while, and Edward had told him that Jackson had asked Bella about him. Thankfully, Bella had simply told the boy that he was with Alice and had left it at that. He didn't want to kid to be embarrassed…this kind of thing happened occasionally. But he usually avoided Jackson, mostly since the kid was human and Jasper didn't socialize with them apart from Bella, but partly because he always felt bad for the kids, especially in a town like Forks where that kind of thing was more or less taboo.

Of course he'd found out the kid was bullied relentlessly and that made him feel worse, although logically he knew it wasn't' his fault. Beating them up wasn't really an option since they'd use the knowledge that he was standing up to them for Jackson to embarrass the kid, and he didn't want to make it worse. He'd even gone to Esme and Carlisle, and while both had been incredibly sympathetic, they warned him that any action he took would only make it worse.

Now, with Jackson and his worst tormentors dead and his baby sister a victim as well, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something he could have done, and voiced the question to Alice who immediately absolved him of all guilt. "Of course not. Those bullies weren't going to stop, and he chose to kill them. Emmett was in his way, and he was angry and hurt, so he tried to shoot him too. Bella just got in the way. This isn't your fault." He was silent, staring into her eyes again, their own private way of communicating. "Come on. Let's go talk to Carlisle."

"He was taunting Bella. You know what people say…about you and Emmett…even Carlisle." Carlisle froze where he sat beside Emmett. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop of Alice and Jasper's conversation, but when your hearing was as good as his, there wasn't much he could do about it. While he was usually good about tuning out the private conversations of his family, he had certainly caught that bit. Glancing over at Esme, he realized immediately that she had caught it too, and he watched her features twist into a snarl, her eyes darkening. Emmett had stiffened as well, but he was looking between them warily.

"What, exactly, do people say, Emmett?" Carlisle asked him softly, his voice dangerous.

"Nothing…I mean…they say…it doesn't matter." Emmett pleaded with him. "She's happy with us, and everyone that matters knows that it's all a bunch of crap anyway.

"Emmett." The word was a warning. Carlisle wanted to know. He wanted to know exactly what those gossips were accusing him of before he ripped them apart for trying to hurt his family.

"They say Edward…that he passes her around to all of us." Emmett pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at the ground when Carlisle snarled, his eyes turning black.

"And do they say this to Bella?"

"Jackson did…I don't know if anyone else has."

"But she knows."

"Yes."

Carlisle stood abruptly, striding past Alice and Jasper as they walked into the hospital. "I need to check on Bella." He told them softly, heading for the stairs.

People were bullying his daughter. Not only that, they were suggesting that his sons, Edward, who loved her more than his own existence, Emmett, who adored her, and Jasper, who would do anything for her, were using her in the most disgusting way possible. And then they had the audacity to spread the rumor that he was getting in on it as well. Carlisle knew about bullies and rumors, and he knew that they were the reason Bella was in this mess. Suddenly Forks no longer seemed like a good home for them.

The pain of this situation seemed to manifest in a physical form, making his dead heart clench as he arrived at Bella's room. He shut the door behind him softly, meeting Edward's eye for a brief moment, not even bothering to ask how his son had managed to sneak up here. Edward's bright, butterscotch eyes was agonized, his lips in a thin line as he knelt beside his mate, a position that would quickly grow uncomfortable for a human but that was perfectly fine for him. The younger vampire's left hand stroked Bella's hair while his right held hers, thumb running up and down the back.

Carlisle picked up her chart and glanced at the monitors, listening to her heartbeat and breathing where he stood, trying not to look at the tiny and oh-so-fragile girl on the bed. An oxygen mask was fitted over her mouth; a precaution after the surgery, and her gown was misshapen over the lump of gauze and bandages on her shoulder. Carlisle treated had been treating people for gunshot wounds since there had been guns around, but this was completely different, and despite the fact that the wound wasn't serious, this was the most painful case he'd ever worked on. He knew that Bella was 'accident prone' as she liked to say, and he knew that Emmett in particular found her normal clumsiness funny, but he was starting to suspect that Edward was right when he said that she was a magnet for trouble.

"Is she okay?" Carlisle's eyes softened and he walked over to stand beside his son, resting one hand on his shoulder and the other on the hand that held Bella's.

"She's going to be fine. Her stats are normal, her temperature is within the acceptable range, she's breathing fine…I'll probably hook her up to a nasal cannula instead of the mask. That will be more comfortable for her when she wakes."

Thoughts came slowly at first. Her shoulder was tight and achy. Her hand was cold. Two voices were speaking, conversing back and forth, but she couldn't make out any words. Someone was pulling something off her face, and breathing was a little harder. She managed to make a noise, but someone was soothing her, and then something passed under her nose and behind her ears. There were more voices, a touch to her forehead, and a constant beeping sounded in the background.

"…another ten seconds or so."

"Bella?"

'Oh yea…everyone went on a trip…must be time for school….' "Go 'way, Emmett." She mumbled, trying to turn over. "Don't wanna go to school today." There was a soft chuckle in the background and she realized someone had her hand. "Quit…that's cold 'mett." A hand cupped her face and she froze in surprise. Emmett wasn't the one who touched her like that.

"Edward?" She mumbled in confusion. "Though you were hunting?"

"Open your eyes, Bella." His voice was gentle and she complied, smiling when she saw his face.

"What are you doing back?" She mumbled, squeezing his hand, then frowned, her happiness dying down when she caught the concerned look he gave someone over her head. Turning a bit, she found Carlisle and Esme beside her bed. "Why…" She stopped, looking around for the first time. She was hooked up to some kind of machines that one would only find in a hospital, and she groaned softly. "Did I fall down the stairs or something? Why am I in the hospital?" She asked Carlisle who was dressed in navy blue scrubs and a white lab coat. He smiled softly at her, then glanced at Edward, obviously communicating with him silently. Stepping forward, he knelt down and took her hand.

"Can you remember what happened Bella?" He asked patiently. She frowned in confusion, shaking her head. "Okay, tell me the last thing you remember."

"I…went to bed last night…Emmett helped me with homework. Oh…Emmett tried to make breakfast." Carlisle chuckled, his eyes serene as he listened. "We…went to school. He ate with me at lunch…I...I went to the bathroom during Calculus and…" Then she froze, looking up at Carlisle's gentle eyes in alarm, barely noticing when he squeezed her hand and Edward stroked her hair. "We were on lockdown." She whispered suddenly. "I was trapped in the bathroom…I hid in the stall. Emmett came and got me." Carlisle nodded, encouraging her to go on. "He was really worried, but he got me out of the bathroom…I think I fell and hurt my ankle." Carlisle nodded again but waited in silence for her to continue. "It was Jackson." She whispered. "I knew him…some of the guys at school bullied him…he tried to shoot Emmett…he didn't shoot Emmett did he!?" She started to lean forward, but his hand moved to hold her to the bed and she felt a twinge of pain in her shoulder and was speaking before Carlisle could reassure her. "No…he missed. He shot me." Carlisle smiled grimly.

"He did. You're very lucky. There was no major damage and you'll be back to normal in a couple of weeks." Carlisle gently removed the gown from her shoulder and began to unwrap the bandages to check the wound. "I had to perform some minor surgery to remove the bullet and check for infection, but everything is fine."

"Thank you." She said softly, glancing up at him. He leaned forward, pausing in his check of her shoulder, and kissed her forehead.

"Of course." He said softly, then turned back to her arm, his eyes shifting into professional mode as he prodded the area, then rewrapped her arm in a new bandage. Esme appeared in the room them, and took a seat on the bed beside her for a moment, leaning over to wrap her arms around her daughter, and Bella felt tears fill her eyes as she clutched Esme's shirt in her fist.

This was so completely different from the last time she'd woken up in a hospital. She didn't have to reassure Carlisle and Esme that she was 'fine' or pretend that she wasn't in pain. She didn't have to hide from her father how scared she was, or pretend for Esme that she wasn't bothered by any of this. There was no need to hide the fact that Edward was staying with her all night, nor the fact that she was probably going to have horrific nightmares about this. They already knew that she wasn't fine, and they were going to take care of her.

Carlisle wanted to keep her at the hospital overnight, just to keep an eye on her, and she was too tired to protest much. After visiting with her for a few minutes, he left to check on other patients, promising to be back soon, and Esme left to give her some privacy with Edward who climbed up on the bed to sit next to her. The bed was adjustable so she was able to sit up and lean against his side, tucked under his arm. Here they stayed, not speaking for a little while she closed her eyes, taking comfort from his presence.

"Edward?" She finally asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

He turned his head and adjusted himself so that he could look down at her. "Hm?"

"What happened to Jackson?" He flinched at the question, regret and anger mixing on his face.

"He's dead." He finally told her, his voice nearly too soft to hear. "He shot himself after he shot you." She closed her eyes, assaulted with images of the boy who sat behind her in class, grinning at her from across the room, lifting a hand in greeting, his bright blue eyes sneaking glances as Jasper when she was at lunch…his hateful smile as he taunted her, the brief, horrified look on his face when she fell, when he realized that he'd missed.

A cold hand touched her face and she realized she must have been crying. Resting her forehead against his shoulder again, she let the tears fall from her eyes and let Edward comfort her, his hand trailing up and down her back.

Emmett was the first of her siblings to visit her. For a second, as he stood hesitantly in the door, not speaking or looking at her, and she wondered if he was angry. She sat up a little in her bed with the help of Edward's hand on her back, and looked over at her big brother. "Emmett?" She asked softly, the confusion and concern obvious in her voice. His eyes softened then, his normal smile, or a gentle version of it, appeared on his face, and he walked over, sitting on her other side, and gathered her into his arms carefully, her head tucked under his chin.

"Never a dull moment, huh little human?" He teased, tugging a lock of her hair, and she laughed.

"Nope." There was a soft chuckle from the doorway and she looked up in surprise when a wave of happiness that wasn't her own washed over her. "Jasper!"

He appeared at her bedside, pushing a laughing Emmett out of the way, and drew her into a hug. "What did I tell you about jumping in front of bullets, Bella?" He asked in mock exasperation and she laughed again, her spirits lifting again when she caught sight of Alice behind him. The little pixie stepped around Jasper and enveloped Bella in her arms.

"You feeling okay?" She asked softly.

"Yea. I'm good." Alice smiled, squeezing once again, and let her go.

"Good. Because I know exactly what we can do to take your mind off everything."

"No." Bella held up a hand in exasperation, her voice beseeching. "I'm stuck here overnight, Alice. Carlisle's orders. We're not going shopping." She felt her eyes droop and hoped that she wouldn't have to argue with Alice about this now, since she felt like she was about to fall asleep and Alice would certainly take that as a victory.

"Not right now, obviously." Alice scoffed, rolling her eyes and folding her arms, but brightened quickly. "I was thinking this weekend. We can go to LA in my Porsche and I know they have some really good shops there and I think they..."

Suddenly a smooth voice cut an annoyed Alice off. "Why don't we wait a while before we drag Bella out shopping again?" Bella looked up in shock at Rosalie who was suddenly in the doorway. The room was suddenly silent, and everyone looked back and forth between the two girls.

Since the day at the mall when they had talked…well, when Rosalie had talked and Bella had listened in horrified silence, about Rosalie's past, things were better between the two of them. Rosalie accompanied Alice and Bella on their shopping trips and took part in their 'make over' sessions, painting her nails and sharing make up. Still, things were never exactly easy between the two of them, and everyone in the family had been witnes to sharp comments and forced politeness between them. Bella knew that it made them all sad, Emmett especially, that they seemed so ill at ease with one another.

Now looking around at everyone in the room, Bella wondered if Rosalie felt left out in her own family. Of course she had Emmett, but Alice, Jasper, and Edward were all much closer to her than to Rosalie. That thought in mind, Bella smiled welcomingly at her big sister. "Hey Rosalie! I thought you were still hunting." The tension seemed to melt from the blonde's shoulders and she smiled a little, coming to stand beside Emmett who slipped his hand into hers.

"I came back a bit early…I missed Emmett." She turned and gave him a sweet smile and he leaned over to kiss her. "But no one was home, so I called Esme a few minutes ago." She explained. Her eyes darkened a little and her expression changed to one of anger and concern. "I'm sorry about what happened. Are you alright?"

Bella suppressed her surprise, determined not to let it show on her face and hurt Rosalie. "Yea. I'll be fine. Carlisle got the bullet out without any problems and he's just keeping me overnight to be safe." She yawned suddenly, her eyes drooping, and Rosalie grinned.

"Nap time for the human?" Bella managed a tired smile as she leaned back in the bed, resting her head against Edward's shoulder once more as he shifted to accommodate her. Another wave of lethargy rolled over her and she mumbled a half-hearted rebuke to Jasper who only laughed.

"Sleep, Bella." She heard Emmett's deep voice rumble over her, his hand resting her head for a minute. "We'll all be here when you wake up." So she did.

Edward kept his place at her side as she drifted off, offering Rosalie a small, grateful smile when she grabbed another thick blanket from the closet and draped it over Bella, letting him tuck it between his cold body and her warm one, hoping that this would be the end of the animosity between his love and his sister. Jasper and Alice moved to the chair in the corner, Alice on his lap, her head against his shoulder, and Emmett opted to stand against the wall across from the bed so that he could see both Edward and Bella, while Rosalie stood beside him, tucked under his shoulder. Since no humans were around to watch, they didn't have to fake the need to sit down.

'I'm so sorry.' Edward looked up in surprise at Emmett's thoughts, so obviously directed toward him. 'He was aiming for me. I lost my temper and I got her hurt and I hate myself for it. I understand if you don't want me to…' That thought was cut off and Edward saw Bella through Emmett's eyes, saw the two of them playing video games and Emmett's fond teasing and even a few times when Emmett held her when he was away and she had a nightmare. The thought of staying away from his little sister was causing him so much pain that he could hardly think about it.

Edward shook his head, giving Emmett a firm look. "This was not your fault." He told his brother softly, grateful that Jasper and Alice were pointedly ignoring their conversation. "She needed you and you took care of her. And I'll always be grateful to you for that."

Emmett shrugged a little awkwardly. "She's my little sister. What else was I going to do?" He rolled his eyes, but Edward saw through his act and grinned.

"Yea. She is."


	6. Chapter 6

Bella became aware of a sharp pain in her arm, and gasped as she jerked awake, her body heavy and aching. Heat seemed to radiate from her shoulder and she burrowed closer to the ice-cold figure beside her while simultaneously trying to kick off the covers. "Hot." She mumbled, trying to explain to whoever might be listening. Then a wave of calm washed over her and she stilled, still hot and confused, but less anxious.

"Bella?" She knew the voice but couldn't place it at the moment. An icy hand took hers, and another cold hand rested on her forehead. She tried to move her left arm but moaned in pain when she couldn't quite manage it.

"Hurts." She managed, feeling a tear slip down her face. "Please." She begged, hoping someone could help but unable to form the words.

"She's burning up. Get Carlisle!" The voice was urgent. Edward's voice, she realized.

"Edward…hot." She whimpered, tugging weakly on his shirt that was bunched in her loose fist.

"Emmett, help me cool her off." The hand grasping hers released her, and the bed dipped on the left side, surrounding her with wonderful cold. She turned her head on the pillow, trying to find a cool spot, and rested it on a hard, cold surface, sighing at the relief it brought. Calm continued to weigh her down, but under the surface she felt panic. A hand took her hand and te calm increased until she was limp with it, the only sign she was in pain the tears on her cheeks.

"What's going on?"

She certainly knew that voice. "Daddy." She rasped. "'m hot! It hurts."

"Shh. It's okay, Bella." She felt Emmett sit up and gentle hands began to touch her shoulder, making her cry out. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I've got to see..." Carlisle said softly. After a moment the pain finally began to subside. "She's got an infection and it's making her temperate spike. I'll get her some medicine. She'll be okay, it's not too bad." A cool glass of water was pressed her her lips, and she managed a couple of sips while someone cradled her against their chest, holder her head so that hse could drink. When she was finished, she was gently placed back on the bed.

"I didn't notice…" Edward's voice was tortured and Bella tried to tug again on his shirt and pull him closer, not wanting him to be upset.

"It's not your fault. This happens sometimes after a surgery, even a minor one. Her body may have been going into shock. Bella, I'll be right back with something to make you feel better."

For the first time she managed to open her eyes weakly and look up at Carlisle who turned quickly and strode out the door. Emmett appeared in her line of vision then, his eyes worried as he lay beside her once again. "You're going to be okay, little sister." He assured her, glancing up briefly over her head then kissing her forehead. "Carlisle will be back soon, okay?" She managed a shaky nod and leaned her head against his chest, trying to absorb the cold.

"Here you go…this should help." Bella felt nothing change, but kept quiet, her head still on Emmett's shoulder as she cried silently. Edward was rubbing her back, and she caught his hand, squeezing it tightly. Another hand touched her forehead, and then pulled away.

"Give it a few minutes, Bella. In five minutes you'll be out again." Alice's gentle voice reached her ears, and she tried to turn her head, but Emmett and Edward held her still. "Jasper?" Calm flooded her body, along with sleepiness, and she quit resisting. Her entire body began to float and she smiled at the absence of pain or heat.

"Thanks, Js'per." She mumbled, finally succumbing to sleep once again.

Carlisle let out a long breath, grabbing her chart and writing something down.

"Carlisle?"

"It's okay, Edward. She's fine now. Fever's going down, stats are back to normal. Good job Emmett, Jasper. She needed to stay calm." He ran a hand through his hair for a moment. "It's not that uncommon for infection to set it…she just seemed fine so I thought she would be safe…it'll be cleared up by tomorrow. She'll probably sleep until then, so you can go home if you want."

"Not a chance." Emmett said simply, his hand taking Bella's and being careful of her shoulder.

"No." Jasper spoke up, his southern drawl firm as he concentrated on monitoring Bella's emotions. Both Alice and Rosalie shook their heads as well, and Carlisle sighed.

"I'll have to bribe the nurses to let you stay." He half joked, then sat by Edward's side.

"Dad…" Edward looked up at him, his eyes tormented.

"She's going to be okay, Edward. She's just sick. Right Alice?"

"Right. Edward, by tomorrow she'll be back to normal. She'll leave here around ten in the morning with all of us and you'll have her locked in your room for a week. You'll barely let her out of your sight." Her lips twitched in a half smile. "Emmett will be standing guard, waiting on her hand and foot…that's sweet of you Emmett." Carlisle glanced at his son who had a good-natured grin on his face. "And I'll give her makeovers with Rosalie and Esme and Jasper will play chess with her and we'll all be fine. Okay?" Edward watched the visions play out in her head and relaxed a little, his head falling forward and his lips pressing against Bella's hair.

Carlisle stayed in Bella's room with his family for most of the night, leaning against the wall beside Esme, Rosalie, and Jasper, while Alice stood beside Edward, the two chatting softly, and Emmett stayed on Bella's other side until she began to shiver from the cold, causing both Edward and Emmett to scoot over a little to the edges of the bed and Rosalie to cover her with another blanket. Around three in the morning, Esme left with Rosalie to go shopping for groceries to stock the house for the week that Bella would be home.

Bella began stirring early the next morning, but this time her temperature was normal and her stats were fine. She tossed and turned for a bit, or tried to only to be gently restrained by Emmett and Edward, and finally woke around four a.m.. As she began to blearily look around the rom, Carlisle poured her a glass of now lukewarm water, handing it to Edward to hold to her lips. "Thanks." She mumbled once she downed the entire cup, her eyes showing how tired she still way.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked, his tone still a little fearful.

"Ok…cold." She turned over and looked at Emmett in surprise. "Emmett?" Carlisle grinned.

"You're temperature was pretty high for a while. They were trying to cool you off."

"Sorry Bella." Emmett chuckled, tucking the blanket between them and scooting over to sit on the edge of the bed. "You wanna sit up?" She nodded a little, and he pressed a control on the remote hanging from the bed, sitting it up so that she and Edward sat at an angle. A second later, Emmett was reclining beside them, resting his head on his elbow.

"It's only six. You can go back to sleep if you want." Edward told her gently, his fingers intertwining with hers. She smiled, her eyes focusing and becoming more alert.

"I'm awake." She protested quietly. "What day is it?" She mumbled, stretching out a little.

"Only Saturday." Alice informed her, coming closer with Jasper on her heels. "The shooting was yesterday." Bella nodded, her eyes sad. "Tim died a few hours ago. He was still alive when they took him from the school. Patrick is doing a little better." Bella sighed softly, and Edward squeezed her hand.

"We're going to take you home around ten. You'll need to rest for a few days, but they're closing the school this week, so it won't be a problem." Carlisle told her gently, walking over to the bed to stand by Emmett. "You should be able to go back when they open it again next Monday." He looked back down at her chart for a moment. "Also…Charlie was at the school…he will want to see you today. He stopped by briefly last night, but you were already asleep." She blanched and clenched her jaw, staring down at her lap. For a second, Carlisle lost his resolve. If she didn't want to see him, he didn't want to force her. Everyone in the family was happy to forget about her real parents, ready, for the most part, to accept her as one of them as soon as possible. But her father had a right to see her, even if he had made a mistake.

"He'll stop by at the house after you are released." Alice told Bella quietly. "Sometime this afternoon. He misses you." No one missed the way Edward glared at her, or the way Emmett growled softly. Neither of them were anxious to forgive Charlie for his siding with Jacob, and he couldn't help agree. But that didn't matter. She wouldn't be in any danger from him.

"You'll need to speak with him." Carlisle told her gently, fighting to keep his voice firm despite the scared look on her face. "I know you don't want to. I know you're still upset with him. But he's your father." She stared at him for a moment, her eyes sad, and then shook her head.

"You're my father." He sighed, gesturing for Emmett to move out of his way, and pulled his little human daughter into his arms. The tentative voice and the hesitant look in her eyes told him that she needed reassuring of this.

"Of course I am." He glanced up and found that everyone was looking away, giving them privacy while surrounding them. "I am most certainly your father. But Charlie is your biological father, and he is worried about you. He loves you, even if he isn't very good at showing it. You already know that." He pulled away, resting a hand on her shoulder. "So you are going to reassure him. You cannot cut him out of your life, Bella. Now while you're still human. If you don't take this chance to reconcile with your father while you still can, years from now, you will regret it." She nodded reluctantly, and he was grateful that she wouldn't fight him on this. "We will still be around. He won't upset you." He promised. He would make sure of that.

Jasper watched from Alice's side as Bella nibbled at hospital food for breakfast, the others watching with worried expressions as she pushed her almost full plate away. Apparently hospital food was as repulsive to humans as it was to him, he noticed with some amusement. Emmett grabbed the remote and selected a mindless soap opera and began making up the plot, keeping Bella entertained, while Edward stayed by her side, his eyes drifting back to her every few seconds. Jasper felt his pain, literally. They'd all been scared a few hours ago when he'd suddenly stiffened beside her, his hand touching her forehead when she moaned softly and moved closer to him. Jasper and Edward had been discussing a school project they would have to make up when she had begun to toss and turn as much as she could with Edward's arm holding her close. "Hot." She'd whimpered, and Edward had placed a hand on her forehead.

"Bella?" His growing panic had distracted Jasper from trying to calm her fear and confused pain.

"Hurts." Her voice had been weak with fear, tearing at all of their hearts. Emmett had stepped away from his spot on the wall beside Rosalie, stopping halfway to her bed, obviously unsure of how to help. "Please." Edward had glanced over at her monitor and frowned.

"She's burning up. Get Carlisle!" He had barked anxiously, trying to hold Bella closer to his cold body. Jasper had pushed wave after wave of calm towards Bella, trying to ease her panic as Rosalie raced off to find their father.

"Edward, hot." She had tugged on his shirt weakly, her voice pleading.

"Emmett, help me cool her off." Alice and Esme had watched with a anxious expressions as Emmett had stepped out of his shoes, not wanting to get her bed dirty, and had climbed up beside her carefully. He had pressed his body against her side, and smiled slightly when she rested her head against his shoulder. Judging from the way his eyes widened, she was quite hot. Jasper had stepped around to Edward's side then, slipping his hand into hers and concentrating on calming her and taking the edge off her pain until Carlisle could come and help her. The heat coming off of her surprised him, and he wished briefly that he knew more about human anatomy and medicine. There was very little he could do to help her with just his gift, and he felt as helpless as Alice and his mother, both of whom waited stiffly by the wall.

Then Carlisle had come, immediately knowing what to do and trying to control his worry for their sake. But he could feel it, the panic that a father felt for his child when they were in danger. He felt it from Esme as well, although she kept her distance and let her husband do his job. Jasper sighed a little at that. Esme loved Bella just as much as Carlisle did. But Bella had a mother, and although her mother lived far away, it was obvious how much Bella loved her mother. Esme obviously didn't want to try and step in.

Still, Jasper hoped that the woman who had so happily filled in as his own mother would realize that Bella loved her and needed her just as much as she loved and needed the rest of them. He could so easily feel Bella's affection for them. Alice was her favorite sister, since his little pixie wife had been so obviously overjoyed to have her in their family before anyone else, and Rosalie she was warming up to, which made Emmett happy. Their relationship was hard, and Jasper hoped that some day, Rosalie would truly see Bella as her sister. And of course, Edward was her mate. He knew that Bella would be happy to see Esme as her mother, just like she saw Carlisle as her father.

He and Emmett were regarded as her big brothers, and even after living with her for three months and knowing her for over a year, he was still surprised how much she adored both of them; how much she trusted and looked up to them in a way that was reserved only for them. Of course, that had only been strengthened in the days after she moved in. Jasper had been in the living room the day she had come over alone; reading the newspaper and listening to the distant sounds of Emmett in the garage, banging around and messing with his Jeep, and Carlisle had been upstairs, the only sounds being the quiet scratch of his pen on whatever medical forms he was filling out. His adopted brother was briefly frustrated, then complacent again. His father was content.

Then there had been a loud rumble, the unmistakable sound of Bella's truck. He knew that everyone in the house could hear it, but what surprised him were the emotions pouring off of the girl. Fear. Worry. Insecurity. He had listened in surprised stillness as she climbed out of her truck. There…a flash of pain, making him curious. He'd stood as she entered their house, making his way into the next room, then hesitating. 'Will she want to see me?' He had wondered, a little anxious. He had never really been close to Bella, not because he disliked her, but because it made Edward nervous…for good reason apparently. He couldn't forget the terror on her face when he'd lunged for her at her party, or her all encompassing shock and fear that had washed over him as he'd been dragged away by a furious Emmett.

But when he had returned with his family, although he'd been too distracted by his relief at seeing Alice again when they'd stepped off the plane, he'd felt her emotions. She had been relieved to see him, happy even. She certainty didn't blame him, of that he was sure. But he still felt guilty, and added that to the list of reasons to avoid her. But she had been in his living room, calling out, her emotions full of pain and fear, and he could smell her tears, so he'd stepped out into the doorway. "Bella?" He had asked hesitantly, instantly feeling her surprise, and waiting for the fear. But it never came. She had been, much to his own surprise, relieved to see him. She offered him a weak smile, but he was distracted by the tears on her face, the pain she was feeling, and the way she shook slightly.

"Hey Jasper. Is Carlisle here?" Then he had been truly worried. Listening carefully, he had used his gift and his enhanced hearing. There was no one nearby, so he had known that she hadn't been attacked on her way. He had stepped closer then, narrowing his eyes a little in response to whatever it was that was threatening the girl he considered a part of his family. That thought had stopped him in his tracks for a second. 'A part of his family?' But looking up at this fragile girl that Edward loved more than his own life, that Emmett would protect against anything….that his wife considered her best friend, he had realized that the thought was entirely true. She was a part of his family, and he would kill whatever hurt her. No one threatened his family.

"Yes. Are you okay?" He had made his voice calm, despite the worry he was feeling. He had looked down at her arm and saw that she held it still against her chest, then back up at her eyes and the tears spilling over. Carlisle had started to make his way downstairs, moving at human speed in response to our voices, and Jasper had looked her over once more, worried even more at her lack of response. Before he could speak again, Carlisle had happily greeted her, then frowned in worry when she didn't respond.

A little later, when she had admitted that a werewolf had kissed her, he had felt the overwhelming rage in the room, but had been most angered by her shame and fear, as if they would be angry with her. The thought made him even angrier. Of course, then had come the knowledge that her father had found it funny, and he remembered snarling in anger, his mind wandering down a dangerous path. Emmett had been beyond fury, and had actually been ready to murder both her werewolf friend and her father.

But all of that had been nothing compared to her talk with Carlisle after her nightmare. He and Emmett had turned on the video game console after the movie, Bella's head still in Jasper's lap. After Carlisle had left, she had sat up; stretching and watching them play for a while. She had been worried though…hesitant and fearful once again, and he'd shoved his own curiosity away. He wouldn't try to control her emotions or suppress them. He didn't like interfering with her feelings when he didn't need to. An hour later, she had stood and walked up to Carlisle's study. Trying to respect her privacy, he had turned the tv volume up, concentrating solely on the game until he had felt Carlisle's pain and sorrow so strongly that he'd dropped his controller and gasped, his hand clutching his chest. Emmett had paused the game, alarmed, and reached out a hand to grab Jasper's shoulder.

"Woah, Jazz?" He had asked urgently. "Jasper? Hey, you okay? What happened?"

"Nothing." Jasper had managed, pushing Carlisle's pain and Bella's shame and fear away, and grabbing his controller. "It's between Carlisle and Bella." He'd told his brother firmly, and Emmett had reluctantly picked up the game controller again.

Not ten minutes later, they had heard her begin to cry over the sound of the game, and Emmett had dropped his own controller as she began sobbing out her story to Carlisle. Jasper had closed his eyes, trying not to give in to the terrible rage, and knew Emmett was doing the same. 'No wonder she was so ashamed.' Jasper had thought, his own emotions tortured. He had wondered if Bella had any more information on this guy, and decided that he would ask her later (something he now realized he hadn't yet done.) One look at Emmett and he had known that they were in total agreement once again. No doubt Edward would want in on it, once he knew. But Jasper dreaded Edward's discovery of this. It would be beyond painful. Jasper sometimes had trouble when he thought of Alice's distant, barely remembered past. This was worse. It hadn't been until that moment that he'd realized how much he cared about her, how much he wanted to protect this little human that was so hesitant around him but so comfortable with his vampire family…and he had decided in that moment that he would never give her cause to fear him again.

Now, sitting there as his once-again-injured little sister laughed at their ridiculous big brother's terrible attempts at story telling, he realized that he would be beyond relived when she was no longer so breakable.

Another three hours later, Jasper excused himself as Alice helped Bella get dressed. While Carlisle spoke with Edward and Emmett, he slipped away and headed down to the street, rolling his eyes at himself as stepped into a café. He hadn't ordered food at a restaurant since he was human…and he had rarely done it then if memory served. His mother had cooked for his family every day, and he could vaguely remember helping a few times. Still, Bella hadn't eaten much earlier, and he wanted her to have something she would like to eat…although Esme and Rosalie had probably stocked the house…he shook his head in irritation at himself, deciding not to think about his motivation. He was buying food for Bella. End of story.

"Um….Cullen?" He froze on his way to the cash register where he assumed he was supposed to order, sighing softly. Turning slowly, he forced a half smile.

"Hello Chief Swan." He greeted the man politely. The man's emotions were all over the place, and Jasper took a moment to sort through them. Curiosity. A little anxiety. Embarrassment? Jasper was thoughtful. 'Why would he be embarrassed?' Then he remembered the man's greeting and gave a half smile, trying to put the man at ease without making him suspicious or embarrassing him further. "It's Jasper."

"Ah. Right. Jasper. You're….the blonde girl's twin brother?" Jasper was a little surprised that the man remembered, but nodded easily.

"Yea. Jasper Hale. My twin sister is Rosalie." The man was silent for a moment and Jasper ran a hand through his blonde hair, a habit to make himself seem a little more…normal.

"I um…I'm just…" 'How do they phrase it?' "Grabbing food." Charlie gave him a strange look, but nodded.

"Right…um….I was going to head up to the hospital. Is…is Bella…"

"Bella is awake. Carlisle is about to release her, and we're taking her home." Charlie watched him, apprehensive, and Jasper realized that the man had no idea how he was feeling, and didn't know what Jasper thought of his actions a few months ago. "She's felling better. If you want to come and visit her this afternoon, of course you are more than welcome."

"Oh. Well…um…. thanks, Jasper. I'll…I'll stop by…if it's okay with your parents."

Jasper smiled. "Of course. You're very welcome. Carlisle already said that he hoped you would come for a visit." 'Well…sort of.' Jasper knew how Carlisle felt about Charlie, but realistically, Jasper too hoped that Bella would reconcile with her father.

"Alright…well….take care." Jasper smirked as the man hurried away, wondering if it had been the smile. Still grinning, he went over to the cash register and began looking at the menu posted above the board.

"Hello sir. How can I help you?" Inwardly, he laughed. The girl hated him. She was exhausted and frustrated and he assumed that she'd been there a long time and was hoping to leave soon. He aslo hoped she could leave soon, or she might spit in someone's food.

"Hi. I'm trying to find my sister something to eat. Can you just tell me the most popular thing here?" He wasn't sure if it was his ability to charm humans (when he wasn't inadvertently terrifying them) or the fact that he just ordered the first thing she suggested, but her feelings were a little less disgruntled when he left with a take out bag.

Edward sat in the back of Carlisle's car with Bella, his arm around her shoulder, while Esme sat up front with his father. Rosalie and Emmett were in his jeep, which Emmett had gotten the night before, with Alice and Jasper, who smelled like human food, unbeknownst to Bella. She yawned a little, then sat up a little, valiantly trying to stay awake. Jasper had refused to put her to sleep, much to Edward's annoyance, but he was glad that everyone in the family seemed to have warmed up to her, and no on, not even Rosalie, was irritated with her for causing the family trouble. On the contrary, everyone, especially Jasper and Emmett, had been devastated and worried.

They arrived at the house quickly, thanks for Carlisle's driving which had ceased to scare Bella. Edward helped her out of the car, all the while remembering the first times he'd ridden in a car with her and been irritated because he hadn't been able to rush over and help her out, and she certainly hadn't waited for him to do so. The first few times he had done it, she given him strange looks, but she had grown to appreciate the gesture. He was grateful. It was hard enough to do things for her without making her angry or upset.

Edward led her up the stairs and to the bed, where there was an abundance of pillows stacked against the headboard so that she could sit up comfortably. "Is this really necessary?" She asked in exasperation as he had her sit down, pulling the covers up over her lap so that she could reach them if she got cold. "I don't really have to stay in bed all day, do I?"

"No." He chuckled at her relieved face. "Alice will help you go to the bathroom any time you need to." He laughed outright at her irritated expression, sitting down beside her and kissing her cheek. "Bella, you got shot yesterday. With a gun. You're staying in bed, under the direct orders of Carlisle, the oldest doctor in existence." He joked, kissing her hair this time, then moving down to her neck. She gasped, then sighed, leaning closer to him, her head tilted so that he could kiss her lips. "Now, don't complain. We won't let you get bored." With that, there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in Jasper." He spoke normally, leaning back but keeping his arm around her.

The blonde vampire opened the door, his grin broadening when Bella's eyes lit up at the sight of the bag in one hand and the plate in the other. "Don't blame me if it's wrong." He joked, but Edward knew how happy her gratitude made him. "This is supposed to be the most popular thing they have."

"Jasper! I love their food…but how did you afford…oh. Never mind." She sighed, not bothering to reprimand him as she sat it in her lap. As soon as his hands were empty, she threw her arms around him, careful with her left, and squeezed him tightly. Jasper chuckled and hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. "Thank you." She mumbled.

"No problem Bella. That's the first time I've been in a restaurant in….well a long time." She smiled, knowing how much the food she ate disgusted him, and thanked him again as he left, making Edward laugh as he put the food on her plate, assuring her that it was perfectly fine to eat on the bed, and that no, he wasn't going to tell her how much the blanket had cost.

Charlie knocked on the door quietly, remembering all too vividly the last time he was here. Something about the doctor scared him now…he was still a great doctor and a good man, but his eyes when he'd accused him of…well of something he shouldn't have, he could have sworn that the man's eyes turned black! And his teeth…well they were normal; maybe a little whiter than usual. But…for some reason, he suspected that Carlisle Cullen wouldn't hesitate to rip him to shreds; a ridiculous thought, but it kept him from banging on the door this time.

Said doctor opened the door, his wife at his side, and they welcomed him into their home with smiles, something that surprised him. He'd been pretty rotten to Bella, and apparently Edward's entire family was quite fond of her…fond enough to let her live there as long as she wanted. At first he'd been angry when he heard the news, assuming that Bella was just being rebellions and doing her version of 'running away.' But as a few weeks passed and he realized that she wasn't coming home…and then when he'd seen her limp body in Edward's giant brother…he shuddered. He couldn't leave thinks like this.

Apparently their other boy…Jasper, had been right. Carlisle certainly seemed genuinely happy to see him. "Welcome, Charlie. Would you like something to drink?" And all at once, Charlie's mouth was incredibly dry.

"Uh…water if you don't mind." Esme nodded and walked away for a moment, apparently into the kitchen, while Carlisle led him into the living room. "Is…um…how's Bella been? I mean….Jasper said she was feeling better…but…"

Carlisle seemed to take pity on him. "She's feeling much better…before the shooting she was doing very well. She seems to enjoy living here and we all love having her." Esme walked back into the room and handed him a glass of ice water.

"Thanks. And…" He cleared his throat. "Thanks, to both of you. For taking her in…I mean, letting her live here. You know…I didn't…" He sighed, taking another drink. This wasn't his forte. Words didn't come easily to him, so he ploughed through. "She's my little girl…only kid I got. And I'm glad she's happy here…and I'm sorry for…well for how I acted last time I was here, Dr. Cullen." His attempt at formality was waved off by the oddly handsome doctor. 'Wait a minute…handsome? I mean…he looks awful young and he's…good looking I guess you could say…what am I thinking?' He shoved the thought away, but not before he heard the familiar laugh of Edward coming from upstairs, followed by Bella's and, if he had to guess, the giant kid's. Edwin? They all laughed again.

"Of course. You don't have to apologize. As you can hear, everyone is upstairs." His voice turned dry as he looked at the ceiling in wry amusement. Emmett moved his television into her room, since she didn't have one yet. Please, come on up."

"Isn't it hard? Having so many teenagers in a house together?" Carlisle gave him a wry grin at his abrupt statement, and Esme laughed, her voice musical.

"There are very few dull moments, Charlie. But we love them very much. And we couldn't imagine our lives any differently." Suddenly there was silence upstairs, and Charlie wondered what exactly they were all doing up there. Carlisle led him down a hall of closed doors until he came to one at the end, across from an open door full of bookshelves and art that looked expensive. Knocking quietly, Carlisle stepped back as Alice opened the door.

"Oh. Hello Charlie." Her surprise was barely genuine, and he wondered if they had somehow heard him come in from all the way up here. Looking past her, he saw Bella laying back against some pillows on a large bed, with Edward sitting at her side, his legs crossed. On Bella's other side, the giant teenager sat in a chair that looked like it had been pulled from the living room, and the blonde boy, Jasper, sat in an identical chair beside Edward, but was angled toward Bella. A beautiful blonde girl perched on the arm of the chair on Bella's side, while Alice walked back over to do the same beside Jasper. The television was on an old sitcom, probably the only thing on in the middle of the day.

"Hi Dad." Bella's quiet voice drew his attention back, and he could have sworn he saw the big teenager (how did she keep up with all their names) glare at him suspiciously for half a second.

"Hey Bells." He muttered, glancing around at all the eyes on them.

"Why don't we let Bella have some privacy?" Carlisle's suggestion wasn't a suggestion, Charlie was sure of that. Otherwise, judging from the looks on the boys' faces, they wouldn't have complied. The mulish looks on their faces were the first signs of normal teenage behavior he'd seen, he realized with a half smile. "We'll be downstairs. Just call if you need anything." The doctor gave Bella a look he couldn't decipher, and she smiled back at him as he closed the door.

"How the heck do you keep them all straight?" He muttered. To his surprise, she laughed softly, her eyes soft.

"It's actually really easy once you get to know them. Esme is Carlisle's wife." She told him simply. He walked over to sit beside her on the bed. "Emmett is the dark haired one who saved me yesterday."

"You mean the one built like a tank?" She barked a laugh.

"Yea. That's Emmett. And you know Alice. She, Edward, and Emmett are Cullens. Rosalie and Jasper are Hales." Charlie nodded a bit, trying to keep that straight.

After a moment of awkward silence, he decided to just plunge in. "Listen…Bells…are you okay?"

"Yea. Thanks to Emmett. Apparently I'm a danger magnet." She told him ruefully, but her posture was stiff and she didn't look him in the eye, telling him all he needed to know about their relationship.

"I am sorry Bella." He said softly. She seemed confused. That day with Jacob…look, you're my little girl. I should have taken your side, no matter what I think of Jacob. I just didn't understand why you were so upset…" Bella stared silently at her lap, leaving the sitcom as the only noise in the room. "Hey?" Touching her arm, he realized that there were tears falling down her face, and took her hand, unsure of what he had done. "Bella? You okay, kid?" She shook her head and turned around, clutching his sleeve as she cried silently. "Bella? You want me to get Carlisle?" She shook her head and continued to cry. "Well… can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I never told you." She wiped her eyes, looking up at him. "Or mom."

"You never told us what, kiddo?" She shook her head, her face flushing as stared down at the blanket.

"I'm sorry I was mad at you."

"Don't be." He told her gently. "I'm the one at fault here, Bella. Me and Jacob."

"You're not going to start telling me to forgive him, are you?"

Charlie sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Well Bells, I honestly think you should." There was a growl and a snarl from downstairs and he straightened immediately. "Do the Cullens have a dog!?" He asked in alarm, standing. 'It sounds vicious….maybe they keep a wolf around here…I knew they were weird…'

"No." He voice was dry, but slightly amused. "There are wolves that come around here sometimes…they never bother us…they're kind of dumb actually, making that much noise around humans." She spoke up a bit for that last part, and he wondered what she was getting at. Dismissing the thought, he went back to his original point. "Bella, what he did was wrong, and I wouldn't want you spending time with him alone. But you should forgive him…it's the only way you can move on." She stared at him in stunned silence and he forced a chuckle. "What? You're old man can still pass on a little wisdom." There was so much sadness…so much…of something…like she missed him, even though he was right beside her… in her eyes, that he stepped forward and hugged her. "Now, what did you never tell us?" She shook her head, resting it on his shoulder. "Come on Bella? You know that you can tell me anything, sweetheart." Her eyes blazed as she pushed away, no longer happy to see him.

"I certainly couldn't tell you that Jacob hurt me!" She snarled.

He sighed, a little irritation creeping in at her overreaction. "Bella…he didn't…" The door was thrown open, cutting him off.

"If you say he didn't hurt her, I swear to God I will tear…"

"Emmett!" Bella and Charlie jerked around to where Emmett glowered in the doorway, his shoulder in Carlisle's vice grip. "In my study. Now." Charlie had never seen the mild mannered doctor upset, but he was obviously furious as he pulled his son into the room across the hall and slammed the door.

"He's right." She was glaring at him again, and Charlie sighed.

"Bella…"

"I had a bruise on my back for a week. And he assaulted me!"

He fought to keep his voice patient. "Bella…" The door was thrown open and Emmett stormed in again, a very angry Carlisle, who looked to be muttering furiously under his breath, following on his heels.

"I cannot believe you!" The giant roared, making Charlie step back in surprise. This kid was…terrifying. There were footsteps on the stairs. "So it's okay for some guy to kiss her without her consent? Or does that just apply to Jacob?" Carlisle grabbed for Emmett's shoulder, but the kid jerked away faster than he should have been able to. "What about her mom's boyfriend? Was that okay too?" Charlie froze, then turned to Bella in shock, finding her staring at Emmett in horror, and then watched her drop her face into her hands. Carlisle grabbed Emmett's shoulder once again, but this time, Rosalie was on his other side. Emmett didn't look at them while they pulled him away, staring instead at Bella, stricken.

"Oh…Bella. Please don't…oh God Bella, I'm so…"

"Emmett McCarty Cullen what do you..." Esme appeared at the top of the stairs, eyes wide, then caught sight of Bella's dejected form. She turned to Emmett, her eyes furious as she pointed down the hall. "Your room now! And you stay in there! Do you hear me?" Emmett swallowed and ducked his head, making his way down the hall and throwing Bella's door apologetic glances, then pulling one of the doors open and stepping in, shutting it behind him. Charlie glanced back into the room and found Jasper sitting on the bed with Bella, his arms around her. He held her to his chest, running one hand up and down her back and the other held hers. It seemed to make her calm as she slouched against him almost limply.

"Stop it, Jasper." He heard her mumble, but she didn't push him away, so Charlie wondered what she was talking about. He dismissed the thought and turned back to Carlisle, his eyes wide.

"Carlisle…what did Emmett mean…what about Renee…?" Carlisle took a deep breath, glancing back into the room, his eyes tormented, then turned back to Charlie with a strained smile.

"Why don't we go outside to talk? Esme?"

"I'll talk to Emmett." She promised, and for a second he thought her eyes turned black. He swallowed hard, looking longingly at the stairs. His daughter was obviously safe here…he wasn't so sure about himself.

"Can you talk to Bella first?" She nodded, smiling briefly at Charlie.

"Please excuse Emmett. He cares for Bella very much…and when he found out…certain things…he's very protective of her. All of our boys are." She touched his shoulder briefly. "Please come by again sometime…I am sorry about today." He nodded, watching as she stepped into Bella's room, and then followed Carlisle down the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

The whole family, minus Bella, sat quietly in the living room. Despite the TV Carlisle had turned up, they could hear almost every word of their conversation as Bella told him their names. Esme sat beside Carlisle on the sofa, both of their eyes watching their children carefully. Jasper sat on the other side of the sofa closer to the wall, his legs stretched out as if he were at ease, Alice at his side, her head on his shoulder. But Carlisle knew that Jasper was completely alert. Emmett and Edward were worse. Emmett perched in a chair closer to the stairs, held down only by Rosalie's arm on his shoulder from where she stood beside him, and Edward sat at the piano, his hands clenched in his lap. Carlisle watched all three boys flinch at something Charlie said and stiffened.

"Don't." His voice was a low, fierce warning. They were his children and he loved him, but he was their father and the head of their family, and his boys would listen to him. Esme leaned away from him, her eyes on Emmett. "Edward. Emmett." He spoke sharply into the silence. Jasper met his eyes for a moment, his face rebellious, but something in Carlisle's face must have swayed him, because he slouched back in his seat, nodding once, and taking Alice's hand. Emmett wouldn't look him in the eye, and in the space of a second was on his feet and racing up the stairs. Edward looked like he was of a mind to follow, and Carlisle spun, already on his feel and halfway up the stairs, blocking his path and taking a second to be grateful to Rosalie who jumped up and grabbed his arm, steadfastly ignoring his fierce look. "Stay. Down. Here." He snarled at his son. He couldn't have them growling and snarling at a human, especially not Bella's father. They could not let their secret out to him.

"Edward, the Volturi is angry enough with us. Do you want them coming here if Charlie finds out?" Esme asked, grabbing his other arm and pushing him down into a chair. Carlisle was already at the top of the stairs and holding on to Emmett as he shouted at Charlie, taking half a second to throw Bella an apologetic glance. He knew that Emmett didn't want to hurt his sister, but he was too angry to be reasoned with right now.

Emmett was, for the most part, easygoing. There were very few things that made him truly angry. But any threat against his family usually put him in a fighting mood, and right now he saw Charlie as a threat to Bella, and that worried Carlisle.

"What about her mom's boyfriend? Was that okay too?" Everyone in the room froze, and Bella stared at Emmett in horror, unable to believe that Emmett had just told her father about that. She had been a few seconds away from asking her father to leave, from telling him that if he was going to act like this, she didn't want to see him. Carlisle's name had been on the tip of her tongue…he was only across the hall and would certainly be happy to see her father out. She didn't even know why she had brought the past up with her father. He saw things in a certain way, and it took a lot to persuade him to look at something from a different point of view. She was certain that he would blame her for not going to Renee for help.

But now Charlie was staring at her, his eyes incredulous and concerned, and Carlisle looked like he might murder his son. But Emmett's eyes were on her. 'He knows. Or he will….I'm sure Carlisle will have to tell him now…he's going to be ashamed of me…he'll tell Renee…she'll be so upset.' A sob tore it's way out of her throat and she was crying quietly into her hands, realizing with some humiliation that Rosalie was now upstairs, watching her little breakdown.

""Oh…Bella. Please don't…oh God Bella, I'm so…" Then Esme's voice joined in, and she barely heard the mother of the family furiously order Emmett to his room. She felt a little calmer all of a sudden, and recognized the source immediately.

"Jasper." She whimpered, knowing that only the vampires would hear her. The blonde moved from his spot in the doorway and came to sit on her right side, sitting up against the pillows and cradling her against him. As if he realized how close to hysterics she was, he pushed more calm toward her until she was almost limp with it, his hand holding hers and his other hand rubbing her back.

"Sh. It's okay, Bella. I've got you." He tried calming her even more and she leaned against him completely, wincing and adjusting herself as she jostled her sore arm. Apologizing softly, he placed his icy cold hand gently over the bandage, his happiness at being able to help her pain bleeding into the calm he was trying to drown her in.

"Stop it, Jasper." She mumbled, and he chuckled softly, pulling back his gift a little, but kept his hand on her arm. She knew he usually listened to her when she asked him not to manipulate her emotions, but she was grateful that he was keeping her calm. "Why did he do that?" She whimpered. "I didn't want Charlie to know."

"I know." He kissed her hair, the icy contact helping to cool her off. "He is so sorry Bella. He was just angry. He won't forgive himself for this." She didn't reply, not sure of what she could say. How could Emmett do this to her? To Charlie….even to Renee. They would have to find out terrible things about their daughter…she sobbed again, unable to stop.

Head burrowed against Jasper's shoulder, her hot tears falling down his cold neck, she didn't notice Esme enter until the woman was carefully pulling her onto her own lap. "Oh sweetheart. I'm so sorry." Surprised that Esme had come, and certain she had heard the vampire yelling at Emmett earlier, she turned, eyes wide and wet. "You know Emmett is sorry too."

"Charlie?" She choked out his name, looking around, but the hall was empty outside of the room she shared with Emmett, and she couldn't hear Charlie anywhere.

"Carlisle is talking to him outside." Bella shook her head, pulling her hand away from Jasper and placing her head in her hands, ignoring the ache in her arm.

"He's going to hate me, Mom. And so will Renee!" Esme pulled her into her arms, shaking her head slowly.

"No, Bella, they will not." She told the girl firmly.

"They'll be so ashamed of me."

Jasper watched in utter misery as Esme rocked Bella back and forth, her emotions tormenting him. She was full of so much shame and fear. He had honestly thought that she had been able to move past most of that. 'Well she might have.' He reminded himself. 'If Emmett hadn't run his big mouth.' He had hurried upstairs when Carlisle had called for him under his breath, the quiet call heard by every vampire in the house. Edward had started to stand but Alice had grabbed his arm, holding him to the chair. Jasper had raced upstairs to find Bella sobbing into her hands, her back hunched as she sat dejectedly on the bed, and Carlisle and Esme trying to Charlie away from Emmett.

He glanced up as Esme kissed Bella's hair. "They will not be ashamed of you, Isabella Swan. They are your parents and they love you just as much as we do."

"I should have made him stop!" Bella cried, clutching Esme's shirt in her fists, and Jasper shook his head, placing his hand against her back. She wasn't calming down, and even though Carlisle had told them all that she was doing well and was not in any danger after the surgery, it made him nervous to see her so emotional right now.

Esme's emotions were just as chaotic. The second Bella had called her 'Mom' she had been overjoyed, touched, loving…everything he felt from her when any of them went to her as her children, only more so. In some secret place in her heart, Jasper was sure that Esme was glad that Bella looked to her, not Renee, as her primary mother figure now. But he was also sure that their mother was ashamed of those thoughts. Regardless, Esme's dominant emotion right now was anger; anger at Renee's boyfriends, he was sure, and anger at Charlie and Renee, who had made Bella feel like it wasn't safe to come to them.

A few seconds of forced calm and sleepiness later, Bella slouched against Esme, her head falling forward onto her shoulder limply as she lost consciousness, and Esme caught her easily, giving Jasper a reproving look. "She was getting hysterical." He defended himself softly, and Esme's eyes softened.

"You're worried about her." She said softly, and he felt her concern and pride as she reached over to cup his face. "You and Emmett have become such wonderful big brothers to her. I am so proud of both of you." He felt the warm glow of her pride and love, his heart feeling warmer and lighter than it had in years. He smiled at her, resting his hand on hers, then leaning forward to help her get Bella on her back, propping her head up on a pillow. "I'm sure Edward is frantic…and Emmett…"

"Frantic is an understatement." He said wryly, climbing out of the bed to stand beside his mother. "Emmett…he feels so terrible."

"I'm going to talk to him…will you stay with Bella?"

"I'm going to get Edward…" He smirked when Edward appeared in the doorway, his eyes anxious as he stared at Bella, asleep in the bed. "I put her to sleep. She isn't coping very well." Jasper told him softly, his voice apologetic.

"Good…she needs to sleep. I'll stay with her." Jasper nodded and sat in the chair he had vacated earlier as Edward climbed into bed with Bella and pulled her into his arms.

"Edward?" She mumbled in her sleep, and Jasper grinned. Listening to her talk in her sleep was always entertaining.

"Are you keeping her asleep?" Jasper laughed at the pointed question and shook his head, standing again and heading for the door.

"She'll be out for an hour or two. I'll come back if she gets hysterical." He paused, his grin falling. "Don't let her get too upset, Edward. If she makes herself sick now…" He grimaced, and Edward gave a solemn nod as Jasper shut the door.

Emmett sat on the bed he shared with Rosalie…although they had never used it for its intended purpose. Even that thought couldn't make him smile. He'd been so angry when he'd heard Charlie get defensive, as if the man had the right to do anything except beg for Bella's forgiveness. But, Emmett reasoned with himself, he had been the one to blurt out her secret, so anxious to see Charlie suffer that he hadn't stopped to think about Bella. And then she'd looked at him, so hurt and betrayed…and he knew it was all his fault. Too pained to even properly apologize, he'd stammered out gibberish until Esme had ordered him to his room.

There was a soft knock on his door and the handle turned, revealing Esme's soft face. "Emmett? Can I come in?"

"Of course." He mumbled, knowing that she could hear him perfectly. He couldn't believe how he'd acted, thinking back on it, and was just glad it was Esme, and not Carlisle, that had come to talk to him. He'd never behaved so disrespectfully to his adopted father, and couldn't help but worry at his reaction. Carlisle had been furious, of that he was sure. And Emmett had all but shoved him away in his own anger, ignoring his father's instruction meant only to keep himself and Bella safe. He knew how close he had been to attacking Charlie…and in full view of Bella. He was sure his little sister would want nothing to do with him after this.

Esme sat beside him on the bed, placing her small hand on his knee. "I am so sorry." He whispered, shaking his head, still unable to believe how he had behaved.

"I know. And of course I forgive you." She whispered, pulling him over and hugging him. "But I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

"Where's Carlisle?" He asked softly.

"Talking with Charlie."

"And Bella?"

"She's…asleep. Edward is with her."

"You mean she was hysterical so Jasper had to put to her to sleep to calm her down?" Emmett asked bitterly, and Esme sighed sadly, taking his hand in her own.

"She will forgive you, Emmett. She's just upset right now."

"She shouldn't forgive me! I had no right to tell her father any of that…I've just made it worse for her."

"No…you haven't made it worse. Emmett, Charlie would have found out eventually, I'm sure. These things tend to come to light after a while."

"Will he tell her mother?"

"I'm not sure…probably."

"She'll be upset…and Bella will blame me."

"No. I'm afraid Bella is only blaming herself at the moment. Not much room in her self loathing to blame you." Emmett stared at her bitter tone, his eyes wide.

"You mean…"

"She is sure that they will be ashamed of her." Emmett shook his head, letting it hand down to his chest.

"What do I do?" He asked quietly. "How am I supposed to make this okay?"

"You wait until she wakes up, and you apologize. She loves you Emmett. She'll forgive you. Just give her a little time. And then you stay by her side, and support her however she needs you to. Because after her parents find out what happened, she's going to need our support."

As Charlie followed Carlisle through the living room, he was surprised that Edward sat in one of the sofas, his eyes blazing, and his body unnaturally still. Alice and the blonde girl...'Rosalie' he reminded himself, sat on either side, their hands on his arms as if restraining him, all three with tense, furious looks on their faces.

"Is…um…is Edward alright?" He asked the blonde doctor once they stepped out on the porch. He wasn't exactly a fan of the boy's, but his daughter's boyfriend seemed rather unstable at the moment.

"He's fine. He's just a little…upset. You asked what it was like having so many teenagers….there are times when they don't like to listen to us." Charlie chuckled, glad to see more normal behavior, but couldn't help but be concerned by Carlisle's strained voice.

"Right. So…what was…uh….Emmett? What was Emmett talking about? What about Renee's boyfriends?"

Carlisle swore under his breath, wishing for a moment that he could be the one comforting Bella while someone else spoke to Charlie. Carlisle gave out bad news all the time. People died in surgery, despite his best efforts. There were problems that he couldn't fix, tumors that couldn't be operated on, diseases with no cures. He did his best…he devoted the majority of his life to studying medicine, to finding cures and treating the untreatable. But sometimes, there was nothing he could do. And he hated it. He hated being the one to tell some poor family member that their daughter was going to die, that their father had a few months to live. He hated bad news. He hated how so many people threw themselves into his arms to cry, only to jerk back when they realized how cold he was, hated giving bad excuses to hoping they just forgot about him soon. He hated how he couldn't even comfort his patients.

Every once in a while, Carlisle had to tell a mother or a father that their child had been assaulted. It was always horrific, and he always struggled with not hunting down the monster responsible. The younger the child, the harder it was. Once, he'd met one of the children's attackers, a boy, only about twenty years old. He was the boy's cousin. And Carlisle had been forced to treat him after a car accident.

Now, standing across from Charlie, he was surprised at how much harder this was. Because this was his daughter. But it was also Charlie's daughter. And Bella was so important to both of them…but Charlie had screwed up, had put so much distance between himself and this girl that he barely understood, and Carlisle and Esme had stepped in, happy to give this girl all the love and affection she would allow. Now, he had to look at this man and tell him terrible things about his daughter's past, and about his ex wife's failures, and the secrets that Bella was most ashamed of.

"Carlisle?" He asked again, this time a little sharply. The doctor took a deep breath, filling his lungs with Charlie's scent mixed with the scent of his family. Amidst it all, he could smell Bella's tears, and that made him angry again. This might not be Charlie's fault, but he hadn't done anything to help either.

"Do you know what Jacob Black did to your daughter?" He settled for asking, his voice like steel.

"Oh for the love of…he kissed her Carlisle. It's not a crime for kids to kiss each other. I know it upset her and she hurt herself, but don't you think you're over reacting a little?"

'Patience.' He told himself. He had plenty of practice. After so many years of life, watching so many things change throughout history, he could do patience pretty well. "Charlie, Bella is eighteen years old." He spoke slowly, deliberately. "She is barely a young adult. She is...small." Charlie gave him a strange look and he turned, leaning back against the railing, changing position out of habit. "Physically. She has a small build. Jacob Black is a large boy, and still growing. Surely you've looked at him...he rarely wears a shirt." He said wryly, although Charlie wouldn't know why the boy didn't wear a shirt…the same reason why they worried so when Bella was alone with him. "They were alone together, a situation Bella put herself in because she trusted him. And he kissed her."

"Right. And what.."

Carlisle continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Which might have been forgivable. As you said, they are young, and misunderstandings occur. But she tried to make him stop." Now he spoke even more slowly, putting emphasis on each word, willing him to understand. "She told Jasper, Emmett and I that she tried to pull away, that she hit him, that she wanted him to stop. But he grabbed her back, leaving a bruise, and refused. Now, he finally let her go, and that's when she punched him and hurt her hand. But what if he hadn't stopped at that, Charlie?" He gave him a moment to think about that, trying desperately not to visualize it himself. "He's bigger and stronger than her. She physically could not stop him if he wanted to take it further, which is why Emmett was so angry. He is very protective of his family, especially the girls. And although I would ask you not to repeat this, Emmett knows a girl, someone close to him, that was assaulted in the same way by someone she trusted, only they did not stop." Charlie paled a little, and Carlisle hoped that the message was sinking in.

"I didn't want to tell you this, because it isn't my place to do so. But I assume you will demand answers, and I won't force Bella to tell you. So I'm going to tell you the basics. According to Bella, when she was thirteen, until she was around sixteen, she was assaulted in the same way as she was a few months ago...by a couple of Renee's boyfriends." Now Charlie was green, and Carlisle sincerely hoped he wouldn't pass out. "She told Renee that they were frightening her at first, but Renee brushed it off, and Bella was too ashamed to tell Renee when it escalated."

"They…they never…" Carlisle shook his head, hoping to reassure the younger man.

"No. They would kiss her when her mother wasn't home…I would suggest you call Renee and talk to her about this. But Bella does not wish to speak to you about it."

"I didn't know…"

"Of course you didn't." Carlisle said mildly. "But obviously the incident with Jacob reminded her of that time in her childhood and it caused her a lot of pain."

"I couldn't have known!" Charlie pled with Carlisle, grabbing the man's hand, pausing only slightly when he felt how cold it was.

"Charlie, I didn't think you did." Carlisle used his 'soothing professional' voice as he gripped the man's shoulder, allowing Charlie to keep hold of his other hand. "Bella made sure that no one knew."

"But she talked to you." It wasn't really a question, but Carlisle felt compelled to explain.

"After a nightmare…the night Jacob assaulted her. Yes. She came to talk to me."

"She…came to talk to you? Willingly?" He laughed, a short, humorless sound.

"Charlie…"

"She doesn't talk to me, Carlisle. Renee said the same…Bella never did really talk to us when she was upset." The rest, that she obviously trusted Carlisle more than Charlie, was implied. The doctor sighed when Charlie pulled away, the man crossing his arms tightly as he glanced back inside at Edward. "Bella never did to talk to anyone. Ever. And when you left, she was so…" Carlisle winced at that. He was still ashamed of their behavior, of Edward's treatment of this girl he loved so much. "Well, it got bad. When they found her out in the forest…" He turned to Carlisle now, his eyes pained. "I thought she was dead, Carlisle. I actually thought that Sam had found her corpse in the woods…that she had been killed by some animal or some…man had come along while she was with Edward…for a second I thought they would find his corpse too. You know she was always with him. And then…for so long, she did seem like a corpse. Barely ate. Spoke less than usual."

Carlisle glanced inside and, although he wasn't Jasper, he could feel the agony rolling off of Edward as he sat on the sofa, his head clenched between his hands, his shoulders shaking as Alice wrapped her arms around him.

"I thought about institutionalizing her. Then I told her she would have to move back to Florida with her mother, and she snapped out of it a little. But I could tell she was just going through the motions for me. Then she started going over to the reservation. She grew up with Jacob. They were friends since they were babies, played together as toddlers. And she seemed to wake up. I was so grateful…I never thought he would hurt her, Carlisle. I wouldn't have let…even if he did her so much good…his father is my best friend."

And this Carlisle did understand. He placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder once again, moving a little closer to the man who, for some reason, no longer seemed intimidated by him. "I will never be able to express how sorry I am about our decision to leave. I can't tell you everything about why we decided to go…I take responsibility for that choice, and I regret it every day, and Edward regrets is far more than you know. He loves her…so much. As do Jasper and Emmett, and the girls as well. We should not have left her like we did. We are forever grateful to Jacob for helping her when she was in so much pain, and I understand that you care for the boy. I'm sure he is a good kid, and that he would not intentionally hurt her. But surely you can understand her point of view as well, especially after her history…." Charlie closed his eyes, shaking his head as if he'd been able to ward off that thought for a moment.

"Excuse me." He seemed suddenly weary. "I need to call Renee." He pulled away, turning and heading down the porch stairs. Suddenly he stopped. "I doubt she'll want to see me again, but…I worried, when she came down here. I was excited to see her, but I worried that it wouldn't be good for her. Her mother hated this place. But she's happy here, with your family. And I'm glad." With that, he strode away, climbing into his cruiser and driving off.

Edward lay back against the wall, perfectly comfortable despite the fact that his neck was bent forward over Bella, and had been for the better part of an hour, as he held the girl in his arms. She had mumbled on and off in her restless sleep, Jasper's influence having held her under for the most part, and now she was stirring. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, his hold never loosening. 'Too much.' He couldn't help but think. 'She's had to go through too much. Her mother's negligence. Those men who assaulted her. His family deserting her. Jacob. A shooting. Now this.' His jaw clenched in familiar anger when he though about it. He'd almost ignored Carlisle's orders earlier, he'd be so intent on yelling at Charlie…but Emmett had beaten him to it. He was grateful, actually. Well, for everything except that last bit. Of course, he knew Emmett was sorry. Emmett rarely filtered what he said, so it didn't really surprise him that his brother had blurted out Bella's secret. The only reason Edward minded was because it hurt Bella.

Edward had listened in anguish as Charlie had described Bella's state during his absence, the words made worse by the images in the man's head; Bella being carried in by Sam, her eyes shut, her body lifeless. 'She could have so easily died,' he thought; near panic himself as he sat in the living room, Alice and Rosalie gripping his arms. 'She could have been attacked by another human, like Charlie thought, or an animal. She could have collapsed in the woods and not been found…could have died of exposure.' Charlie had continued talking, shoving images of Bella as she sat limply in her room for days at a time, how she lost weight but refused to eat…how panicked she had been when Charlie had threatened to make her leave at him. Despite his hatred for Jacob, he felt a fresh wave of gratitude toward the stupid wolf for helping her, and anger at himself for making it necessary.

Carlisle had come in after Charlie's abrupt departure and sat beside him immediately, his arms going around his son. Edward could tell from his thoughts that he was upset. It bothered him that Charlie was upset with both himself and Esme...with his whole family for 'stealing' the affections of Bella. The vampire had never wanted to hurt the man that had stuck up for him to the La Push residents on several occasions; he'd never wanted to come between the Charlie and his daughter. But he loved Bella…loved her more than he could himself believe. She was another daughter to him, the love of his son's existence. She made his family happier than they had ever been. More than that, she completed their family. And Charlie hadn't been there for her when she needed him, hadn't understood his daughter, and neither had Renee.

Edward had clutched his father's shirt, feeling tired and wrung out in a way that he couldn't ever remember feeling, and resting his head on his shoulder. At some point, Rosalie and Alice had left, and he let Carlisle hold him for a minute. "She's going to be okay, right?" Carlisle had sighed, and then pulled away, keeping his hands on his son's shoulders, his eyes calm and determined.

"Yes. She will be. We'll make sure of it."

"What about Charlie? And Renee? Her mother will want to talk to her..."

"Probably. But not now. Not today. Today, she needs to rest and calm down. Jasper is upstairs with her. If Charlie comes back, or if Renee wants to talk to her later, we're going to leave it up to Bella. Regardless of her choice, we'll be here for her."

"I can't loose her." Edward had said quietly, his eyes pleading with his father. "Do you think…with all that's going on…"

"I promised her that I would change her after graduation if that is still what she wants. She's fine right now. If something happens that puts her in danger…something that we cannot protect her from, then of course I will not hesitate to change her. You are not going to lose her."

"Edward?" He smiled, pushing thoughts of danger and fear away and looking down into her sleepy eyes. "Did I fall asleep?" She seemed surprised at the thought and Edward snorted.

"Sort of."

"Jasper." She groaned, obviously irritated.

"You were upset and he was worried." He soothed her, stroking her back. "Don't be angry with him."

"I'm not." She groused. "But he can't go putting me to sleep every time he's worried about something." Edward laughed softly.

"Of course. I'll be sure to tell him."

"Oh, I'm sure he can hear me." He grinned again, her irritation a welcome distraction after all the pain and fear. But after a second, her face transformed back into a mask of worry. "Is Charlie…"

"Carlisle spoke to him, and he left." She nodded, not asking for any details, which worried him. She usually wanted to know everything.

"Bella?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She said softly, her eyes closing off as she looked away.

"Of course." He murmured, pulling her close and kissing her hair. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Just rest for now."

"I just woke up!" She told him incredulously, sitting up straight.

"Yes. And you just got shot as well, let's not forget that." She rolled her eyes but slouched into the pillow when he turned the TV back on. A few minutes into a sitcom neither was watching, he turned to her. "Emmett really wants to speak with you." She was silent, turning her gaze to the bed. "Are you angry with him?" She shook her head wordlessly. "Bella? What's the matter?"

"I'm not angry with Emmett." She told him simply, picking at a string on the comforter.

"Okay…that's good. You should probably talk to him though…" Honestly he was at a loss. She was closing him off, refusing to look at him or tell him what was wrong, and while he wanted to force her to tell him, or interrogate her, he stood up instead and said Emmett's name quietly, calling for him to come in. He glanced back at her, then met Emmett in the hallway, wincing at the worry that assaulted him from Emmett's mind. His brother was certainly beating himself up over this, and was worried about Edward's reaction.

"Hey. Calm down, I'm not mad. If you want to talk to her, go ahead." He gave his brother a strained smile, and caught his brother's confused thoughts. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She's upset about something, but she says she isn't mad at you. She won't talk to me. Can you try?" Emmett nodded, reaching out to grip his brother's shoulder for a moment.

"Yea. I'll talk to her."


	8. Chapter 8

Bella stared at the bed, her hands clenched in the covers as she felt Emmett's presence in the room. He stood in the doorway, his shoulder against the frame. She hadn't lied when she had told Edward that she wasn't angry. She wasn't. She knew that Emmett had been trying to protect her, and even if she hated that her secret was out, she didn't blame him for blurting it out. He had been angry. And everyone knew that Emmett was terrible at keeping secrets.

But her father's horrified face kept flashing in her mind, the way his mouth dropped in shock…the way his eyes were so worried and concerned. She hated it. 'He shouldn't be concerned about me. I should have told Renee. I should have pushed them away…harder. I should have ran or screamed. I wasn't a victim…I just went along with it because I was a coward.' The pain in her heart seemed to intensify as emotions she'd thought she'd conquered sprang back out of the depths of her mind.

For the last few months, her family had helped so much. After speaking to Carlisle, she'd talked briefly with Esme and Edward, giving them the basics and insisting that she didn't want to talk about it. They didn't push her. But it was there for a while, the unspoken knowledge that she was hurting, and they all did their best to make up for it. Jasper and Emmett had been the best though, next to Edward. Jasper's gift, unlike Edward's, was quite affective on her, and she knew that he could feel the flashes of shame and embarrassment and pain that threatened to overtake her at times, but he never said anything, only used his gift to gently take away the worst of the emotions and let her deal with it in her own way.

Emmett, on the other hand, was just there in a way that no one except Edward had ever been. He kept tabs on her, appearing at her side while they were in school, chatting with her at lunch, and helping Edward watch out for her. He went out of his way to entertain her when she had nothing to do, teaching her to play video games or his complicated version of chess...he even taught her a little about fixing cars, usually on days when Edward went out to hunt, even though Rosalie was the expert in that area. Once, on a day when she'd sought out solitude in the living room, flipping the television to a random program that she'd never seen before, he surprised her by plopping himself on the sofa beside her, throwing his arm over her shoulder, and adding his own commentary, much to her amusement.

Together, her new family had helped her, distracting her from her pain and letting her heal. She hadn't thought of that terrible time in her not so distant past for weeks. Now her big brother stood silently in the doorway, his eyes sorrowful as they watched her, and all she could think about was how ashamed she was…she imagined Renee's face when Charlie called her…how crushed she would be, and how bad her mother would feel. She had the sudden urge to call her mom, to apologize for…something. Everything. But the thought of speaking the thoughts aloud paralyzed her. 'She'll blame me. Not outright. Not in a mean way. She'll tell me how sorry she is, how she should have listened. But then she'll ask why I didn't tell her…ask why I let it go on for so long.' And she dreaded that question…dreaded it from both Charlie and Renee. She didn't think she could bear to hear it.

Emmett stepped closer, and she felt her heart start to speed up, her anxiety spiking. 'What am I supposed to tell him?' She asked herself wildly. 'How do I explain this? I sound crazy…even to me. Why am I letting this get to me? Why didn't I stop it? Why was I such a coward? It was my fault…he'll figure it out. They'll all realize that it was my fault and it was and…' Her thoughts trailed off when a sharp pain made itself known in her chest and two icy hands grabbed her shoulders, a blurry face coming into her line of sight. Suddenly she realized that her breath was coming in weak gasps and that her arms were wrapped around her middle, her body doubled over.

"Bella, stop. Take a deep breath." Emmett was holding her up now, his eyes anxious as they stared into her. "Shh, little sister. It's okay. Just breathe. Don't worry about anything else. Breathe." She closed her eyes when little black dots appeared on Emmett's face, feeling hot tears fall down her face as she tried to comply, wondering dimly why her heartbeat was so loud, but was unable to do anything except gasp weakly as she cried. "Jasper? C'mon man, I can't calm her down. She can't breathe!" She wanted to shake her head and tell him that she was fine, that she didn't need Jasper wreaking havoc with her emotions, but her chest hurt so much, and she kept thinking about Jeremy and Mark and her mother and…

And then she was able to breathe. She gasped, desperately sucking oxygen in as she let herself fall forward, her head resting on Emmett's shoulder. She knew that Jasper was in the room somewhere, keeping the anxiety and panic tucked away, but she was terrified under the calm. "Don't go. Please, Jasper." She begged, still taking ragged breaths thought the dizziness that assaulted her.

"Easy, Bella. I'm not going anywhere." She felt the bed dip behind her and he placed a hand on her back. "There you go. Breathe. You okay?" She nodded a little and he gave a strained chuckle. "How's the shoulder?" She realized that it had started to ache and dropped her left hand from Emmett's shoulder, not wanting to aggravate it anymore, and her large brother moved so that her right side rested against him.

"Hurts."

"Alright. Where's your medicine?"

"Bag." She took a deep breath and felt her heart calm. "What happened?" She mumbled, pulling away from Emmett.

"Anxiety attack, I think." Jasper's tone told her it was a guess, and she watched quietly as he stood, pulling a bottle of pills from her bag and handing her one, along with a glass of water that she downed. "Do you want me to call for Edward? Or Carlisle?" She shook her head. "Esme?" She clutched Emmett's arm, shaking her head again. She certainly didn't want anyone else around to witness her weakness…not now.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere." Emmett promised. "Not if you don't want me to."

"'m sorry Emmett." She whimpered, closing a fist around the fabric of his shirt.

"What? Why?" She could tell he was surprised but she couldn't explain it.

"I just am. I'm sorry."

"Okay." He spoke cautiously. "You certainly don't have anything to be sorry for, but I forgive you I guess." His voice was full of forced cheer. "I should be the one apologizing though." He placed his hand on her cheek, pressing her head against his shoulder to halt the side-to-side movement. "No, don't argue. I should be sorry. I didn't have any right to tell Charlie what I did, and it's my fault you're so upset…."

"It wasn't your fault!" She cried, cutting him off and pulling away, looking into his eyes earnestly. "You didn't mean to."

"No…but that doesn't matter. I let my temper get the better of me, and said things I shouldn't have. I didn't have any right to tell Charlie anything." She didn't answer, his apology only making her feel worse, and he placed a hand under her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. "Bella?"

When she was silent, Jasper crouched beside the bed, coming into her line of sight. "Hey? What's got you so upset, darlin?" He asked gently, letting his southern accent color his words like he always did when he was worried or upset. "No, don't shake your head at me." His smile was kind as he took her hands. "Come on. I can feel it. What's hurting you?"

She didn't think she could speak the words aloud…not to her kind brother who was looking at her so earnestly and trying to help her. It was so shameful…the thought that those men had used her. She just wanted to forget that it had ever happened….but she couldn't. The pain kept coming back. "I never wanted Renee to know." She finally forced herself to choke out, closing her eyes and dropping her head. "I was always so scared she'd find out…come home while he was…" She broke off with a sob and felt Jasper ease the overwhelming force of her emotions, but knew that if she didn't speak now, she never would. "And she met Phil, and it was okay. He was nothing like them. And when I moved here…it was over. But now Charlie knows, and he'll tell Renee, and she'll know…they'll both know…"

"They'll know what, Bella?" Jasper pressed, obviously hating himself for asking but wanting her to let it out.

"They'll know how much of a coward I was! They'll know it was my fault…that I could have stopped them but didn't."

There was very little that went on in the Cullen home that everyone didn't quickly know about. It was hard enough to keep secrets with Edward and Alice's special talents, not to mention the fact that Jasper could read the emotion of everyone in the house. Add to that the super hearing and the result was an almost total lack of privacy. Of course, they compensated by giving the appearance of privacy. No one brought up conversations that weren't had with them. Alice and Edward were discreet about what they shared. Jasper helped everyone silently, but kept as quiet as possible about what he actually felt.

It was harder with Bella around. She couldn't speak or move as quietly as the rest of them, and every conversation, mumble, and sound she made seemed to echo through the house, so they made an extra effort. They knocked. They averted their eyes. They turned up the TV or the radio. But at the moment, there was no illusion. Every pair of eyes in the living room was turned upward, identical looks of pain and worry in every one. Carlisle had honestly thought that she was healing. Of course he'd known that Charlie finding out would upset her, but he'd thought she was moving on, aware of the fact that she was in no way at fault.

'Apparently not.' He thought grimly. Edward flinched, and he realized that he hadn't bothered blocking any of his thoughts from his son. He looked across the room at the younger vampire, his eyes sad. 'You couldn't have known how much she was still hurting.' He told his son silently. 'She's learned to hide her pain well.'

"She honestly thinks her mother will blame her." Esme said softly, and Carlisle walked over to embrace his wife, stroking her hair as they listened to Bella's soft sobs. Neither Jasper nor Emmett had said anything since her declaration, and Carlisle wondered what they could say.

'How can we convince her? What if it's true?' Edward threw him a sharp look and he clarified silently. 'What if her mother will blame her in some way?' Edward growled, his lips pulling back over his teeth, and Carlisle had to agree. If Renee said anything to upset Bella before she was fully over this, she would have seven very angry vampires to deal with.

"No." Emmett's voice was so quiet that, at first, Bella barely heard it. "No." He spoke again, his voice stronger now. She looked up, knowing that her eyes must still be red from crying, but not caring as he gently ran a thumb under them. "You were not a coward. It was not your fault."

"I could have stopped…"

He cut her off, his voice stern. "No. You could not have. You were thirteen. You had no idea how to deal with what was happening, so you did the best you could. There is nothing wrong with that, Bella. You have nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing in this situation that was your fault."

"I should have told Renee." She whispered, her eyes downcast.

"You did." Jasper spoke up, gripping her hand. "You told her when you suspected that something was wrong, and she didn't listen. She's the one at fault, Bella. She didn't listen to you. So why would you go back to her when it got worse?" She didn't answer, her eyes searching his. "You were scared, Bella. You were young and scared and probably ashamed and you did the best you could." There was no doubt in his voice, and for a second, she believed him…just a little. Oh how she wanted to believe him. But every time she tried, she remembered that she never brought it up to Renee again, never fought Jeremy…never gathered enough courage to speak up.

"I know you probably don't believe us." Emmett told her gently, pulling her from her thoughts. "But we won't stop telling you until you do, okay?" His eyes were full of fond affection as he mussed her hair then hugged her to him. "Don't worry about Renee or Charlie. You don't have to talk to them until you want to. If you want to. Okay?" She nodded slightly, feeling much better now that she knew she wouldn't have to face her biological parents any time soon.

Jasper wanted to tell her to talk to him if she started feeling like that again…like she couldn't breathe or think. He had felt it build from the living room and had raced into her room for the second time that day when Emmett had called him, his own emotions panicky. But hers had been worse. She had been literally paralyzed by anxiety and worry, her eyes wide as she struggled to breathe and her arms trying to wrap themselves around her as her body doubled over. Her body was trying to protect itself, and he had realized that she was so scared that she was shutting down. Thankfully he had been able to put a stop to the attack before it got so serious that she passed out, but he still worried. She wouldn't talk to him if she needed to and he knew it, whether it was her pride her just that she couldn't make herself ask for help, he didn't know. So he knew that he would stay close, keeping her emotions under careful observation. He wouldn't let her get that bad again, no matter how much his 'meddling' irritated her…not until she had moved past this.

Emmett had her pressed to him, his arms wrapped around her as she sat, silent and still a little fearful. Jasper wondered what she was afraid of but didn't ask, instead making sure it stayed manageable. 'Edward?' He called his brother silently, and before he could blink, Edward was taking her gently from Emmett with a whispered word of thanks, holding her protectively. Jasper knew how hard this was for Edward, felt the near constant anxiety pouring from his brother, and did his best to ease it. As Bella sat, nearly limp, in Edward's arms, her eyes red and her face wet, his brother slowly relaxed, giving Jasper a look that was half irritated and half grateful. Jasper gave him a half grin and nodded, dropping into the chair beside the bed and watching Emmett sit on the floor beside him. Until Bella told them to go, they'd stick around to keep an eye on her.

Edward wanted to scream in frustration. She thought it was her fault. His love, the reason for his existence, was depressed and scared and hurting because she thought she was a coward…because she thought that, at thirteen, she should have been able to stop the grown men her mother was dating. She had cried too many times in the last few days, and there was nothing he could do. He hadn't been able to protect her when she was little and someone had hurt her, or when Jacob had kissed her, or when the guy at school had shot her. He shook his head, holding her tighter. So far, she hadn't really responded to his presence, only grabbing his clothes and holding him tightly, so he tilted her head so that he could see her face and was immediately surprised at the dull, glassy look in her eyes. Her heartbeat was normal and her breathing was fine, if a little sluggish. She just seemed to be in a daze.

Jasper and Emmett were staring at the floor, giving them what little privacy they could while still being in the same room. Briefly, Edward wondered why they were staying, then heard it in their minds. Both had promised that they wouldn't go anywhere…plus Jasper wanted to keep her emotions as calm as he could which, at the moment, was making her a bit zombie like.

"Jaz?" Jasper looked up when Edward mumbled his name, too quietly for Bella to hear. "Ease up a bit." Jasper leaned over to look into her eyes and frowned at the dull, almost lifeless look, then stood.

"Sorry." He told his brother softly, standing. "I was worried…I'm going to go talk to Carlisle." Edward nodded and Emmett walked over to the wall, sitting in the corner and letting Edward have a little more privacy with Bella, who eventually blinked and looked around for a second.

"Edward?" She mumbled, looking up at him.

"I'm here." He promised, kissing her forehead. She seemed to be emerging from her zombie-like calm, and he smiled at her. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes…oh." She seemed to be remembering what had just happened and he kissed her again.

"Sh. Don't think about it if you don't want to. You don't have to deal with any of that right now. Why don't we just watch TV?" He leaned back against the headboard and pulled her with him, squeezing her hand. "Okay?"

"Where's Jasper?" She wondered, briefly catching sight of Emmett who gave her a grin, before looking back up at Edward.

"He went to talk to Carlisle." She nodded a bit, her lips turned down as she looked up at the TV. "Hey…you know…that you can talk to me." She look back in up at his face in surprise. "If you need to. You can talk to me about anything. And you know that I love you, no matter what, right?" She sniffed softly, then managed a smile, nodding at him.

"I know. I love you too." The fear on his face eased a little and he nodded, turning back to the TV.

They watched a few episodes of the mindless sitcom before Emmett stood, dropping a kiss on Bella's head, and announced that he was going to go help Rosalie in the garage. Edward could hear Carlisle and Jasper's mumbles as they discussed Bella, and Esme's soft conversation with Alice as they prepared dinner for the girl in his arms.

"I just think I should have been able to stop them." Her voice , which took him by surprise, was choked and forced, as if she'd been working up the courage to speak for a very long time, and he regarded her seriously for a moment, forcing himself to maintain his composure.

"Why?" He asked softly. "Why do you think that?"

She gave a half shrug he felt against his side, her head resting against his shoulder and tucked under his arm. "I could have told Renee." She asserted quietly. "I could have…called Charlie, or…or told a teacher…or locked my door…" He leaned over, pulling her face up so that he could see her, relieved that she wasn't panicking or having trouble breathing, but he could feel Jasper nearby, and knew that his brother's full attention, as well as Carlisle's, was now on Bella. "Why didn't I do anything?" She asked, gripping his hand, pleading with him. "Why didn't I say something?"

"Bella…" He leaned forward and kissed her, properly this time, and had to admit that he was a little smug when she melted against him, her heart stuttering then speeding up, her lips urgent against his until he finally pulled back, a soft smile on his face. She panted a bit, her lips curved into a half smile once again as she pulled herself closer. He chuckled, keeping his arms wrapped snugly around her. "I love you." He paused, running a thumb over her cheek, wiping away the excess moisture there. "I wish I could protect you from everything. I try. But I can't always be there…and I certainly don't have all the answers. I don't know why you couldn't stop them. I know that Renee had already brushed you off once. I know that you barely knew Charlie. I know that you were probably afraid and ashamed, even if you were not the one at fault." He cupped her cheek and forced a smile, his heart lifting when she returned it, her eyes lighter. "That's reason enough, I think. You don't have to be ashamed, or scared anymore. You don't have to talk to anyone about this if you don't want to….you certainly don't owe Renee or Charlie any explanation. Okay?" She leaned back against him, her eyes closed in relief he could almost feel as she nodded.

"Okay."

Bella smiled when Esme entered their room after a quiet knock, bringing in a tray with soup and a sandwich. Alice followed behind with a glass of water and kissed her sister on the cheek, asking if she was feeling better. Bella was able to truthfully say that yes, she was. She knew that she wasn't fully okay, but she found herself able to deal with the pain those terrible memories caused now, and felt that it was, finally, her own doing, and not Jasper's. Carlisle came in when she was finished eating and checked her shoulder, offering her another pill for her pain, and sat on the other side of Bella as the two of them as they watched TV.

Carlisle draped his arm around her, kissing her temple and smiling over her head at Edward. But try as he might, he was worried. He had been with Edward and Alice when they'd heard Bella's gasping breaths…heard her whimpers and stuttering heartbeat as it had beat impossibly fast. Heard Emmett's desperate plea for Jasper to help, heard him catch her when she fell against him. He knew that Edward had managed to calm her a little while ago, and he could tell that she was feeling better. But he was still worried. And angry. He had held himself back before, when he had thought she was healing, and he'd told himself that revenge didn't accomplish anything. But now he wanted to find this 'Jeremy' and kill him. And then find Mark and kill him too. They were the only names she had given him, but he was sure that if he and Edward could meet with Renee, then Edward could get more information about them, and maybe find out where they lived.

He caught Edward's surprised look and shoved the thoughts away, instantly ashamed. 'No. Getting revenge won't solve anything. She needs us, she doesn't need them dead. That won't help her.' Edward seemed to think that over, then turned away, the brief hope in his eyes dying. Carlisle knew that Edward would gladly kill the monsters that had hurt his Bella, and he knew that Emmett and Jasper would probably happily tag along. Even Alice and Rosalie would want to join in the fun. Between all of them, Jeremy and Mark wouldn't have a chance. But Carlisle wasn't going to go down that road. His family existed so well because they didn't hurt people, and he wasn't about to start hunting down old grudges.

"What if she asked us to?" Carlisle looked up in surprise, knowing that Bella couldn't hear his words, but not wanting to chance it.

'She never would. That's part of what you love about her. If she did…I would be even more worried about her…that's too out of character. But no, I still would say no. We can't change who we are, Edward…not now.' His son sighed, offering Bella a loving smile when she gave him a questioning look, then turned back to the TV.

Bella grimaced as she woke, realizing that she must have fallen asleep again. She moved her arm and gasped at the pain when she hit it on something solid. "Sorry, sorry." She heard someone whisper, and a cool hand was on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she found Carlisle still at her side, and the light from the window had dimmed. Edward was on her other side, his eyes worried.

"I'm fine." She assured them, sitting up and stretching. "Why did you let me fall asleep again?" She groaned, looking over at Edward who smiled, obviously unrepentant.

"You need your sleep. Besides, it was only for an hour or so."

"I think those pain pills are making you drowsy." Carlisle explained with a grin, removing his hand from her arm and standing. "I'm going to go see if I can get you something that won't." She thanked him and looked back at Edward.

"Um…human moment?" She asked with a faint blush and he grinned.

"Of course. Alice?" She wasn't sure if she could ever get used to their ability to hear so well, even when he didn't raise his voice a bit. Alice appeared in the doorway and helped a stiff Bella to her feet, keeping her arm around her waist as she led her to the bathroom.

"You can let me stand on my own. I was shot in the arm, not the leg." She teased her friend. Alice snorted.

"Yea right. With you're luck, you'll trip over something, break your leg, and then Edward will kill me." Bella laughed and rolled her eyes, unable to really deny it. Alice pulled out her phone and leaned against the door, her back to Bella, as Bella saw to all of her human needs and splashed water on her face using only her right hand.

"Are vampires left or right handed?" Alice glanced up at Bella's curious tone. "I mean…do you have a preference?" Alice grinned and tossed her phone back and forth between her hands at a speed that was almost too fast for a human.

"No. I mean…we may express a preference. I use my right hand as my dominant hand. But we can use either. It may be based on what we used before we change." She shrugged, watching as Bella turned off the tap with her right. "Can you use your left hand?" She asked, her voice suddenly worried again.

"Hm? It hurts to move my shoulder much, so I'm trying not to."

"Maybe you should ask Carlisle to put it in a sling or something for you…. if it hurts to move it."

"Probably. I just hate having to go through that again." He'd made her switch to a brace the day after her incident with Jacob when she'd moved her hand too much, and she hated being stuck in a brace or a sling for extended periods of time. It just drew more attention to how clumsy she was. "You think Edward will let me walk downstairs?"

"No!" Alice laughed aloud at her sister's annoyed expression when her brother answered from the bedroom.

"Come on, Edward." Bella pulled the door open with her right hand and stepped through on her own, Alice on her heels. "Please? I've been in this room all day." Making her face as pitiful as she could, she inwardly danced with triumph when he sighed, his eyes softening.

"Okay. We can go downstairs." Before she could celebrate anymore, he had scooped her into his arms and she was suddenly sitting on the sofa beside Jasper, Alice dropping into the seat on his lap as she giggled. Jasper laughed softly, placing his arms around Alice's waist and pulling her back against him.

"Oh…" Bell looked around at the various amused members of her family and rolled her eyes.

"I never said I would let you walk." He snorted, sitting beside her and pushing back a lock of her hair, kissing her cheek where his fingers had lingered briefly. "Now, Carlisle wants to put a sling on your arm, so don't fight him." Before she could even argue, Carlisle had appeared with said sling and was kneeling in front of her.

"Dang vampires and your ridiculous speed." She mumbled, grousing good-naturedly while her adopted siblings laughed and Carlisle smiled easily.

"This will only be for a few days while your shoulder heals." Carlisle assured her kindly. "Try not to move your hand too much. You can take the sling off when you sleep, and Edward will keep you from moving around too much." She accepted his terms with good grace, thanking him for his help by throwing her good arm around his neck. She had no idea how she had managed before having a vampire as a father.

'You had a real father that lived hundreds of miles away and Renee had…' She cut that thought off, scolding herself for allowing her thoughts to go down that road. She wasn't going to let those memories ruin any more of her time with her family. Ignoring Jasper's searching look and Edward's concerned frown, she looked up at Rosalie. "Did you finish that car you were working on?" Rosalie grinned, obviously knowing exactly what she was doing, but apparently willing to play along.

"Not yet. I'm going to get back to it tomorrow. But Alice and I have made headway with your wardrobe." Bella groaned, wishing she had kept her mouth shut. For weeks now, Alice and Rosalie had been designing a new project that involved building Bella her own closet, since she currently shared one with Edward, and filling it with clothes that Bella knew would be beautiful and at the cutting edge of fashion and absolutely pointless since she would never wear them. Settling back against Edward, since arguing was useless, she listened as Rosalie and Alice pulled out sketches and plans and began to describe in detail how 'wonderful' her new closet was going to be. Annoying as it was, she was touched. Her sisters were trying to do something nice for her, and she was grateful. Glancing around at the amused, resigned grin's on Jasper and Emmett's faces as they listened to their mates prattle on about clothes and fashion, she realized she was perfectly content to sit back against Edward's side and do the same.


	9. Chapter 9

"I want to talk to my daughter right now!" Renee paced back and forth in her kitchen, her teeth clenched and tears falling down her face. Phil watched anxiously from the doorway, his arms crossed as he leaned against the frame. He'd quit trying to comfort his distraught wife when she'd locked him out of the house an hour ago, screaming that she didn't want to speak to him. She'd only let him back in a few minutes ago, her ear pressed to the phone, listening to her daughter's voicemail message. Since then, he'd kept his distance. She'd called Bella seven times since her discussion with Charlie, and the eighth time, it had been answered by an unfamiliar woman who refused to let her speak to her daughter.

"Mrs. Dwyer…" The woman was using that infuriating placating tone again, and Renee wouldn't stand for it. This was her little girl!

"Do not 'Mrs. Dwyer' me! Who do you think you are!? Bella is my daughter, and I demand you let me speak to her!"

There was a long sigh on the other end. "Mrs. Dwyer, I already told you, Bella doesn't wish to…"

Renee exploded, screaming into the receiver. "If you think I'm going to…" Suddenly someone was speaking sharply and she was cut off.

"Excuse me, may I ask why you are shouting at my wife?"

Renee stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "Who is this!?"

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Now, Mrs. Dwyer, why are you shouting at my wife?" His voice didn't get any louder, but it was dangerous somehow.

"I want to speak to my daughter."

The man's voice was full of forced patience. "As Esme already told you, Bella doesn't want to speak to anyone. And if this is how you treat my wife, I'm certainly not going to let you speak to my…to Bella." His voice grew soft over her daughter's name and she clenched the phone.

"Bella is my daughter! You can't keep me from talking to her!"

"Actually, I can." His voice was dry…harsher than it had been. "It's quite simple actually."

"You give my daughter her phone back!" She snarled.

"Your daughter gave me her phone because she didn't want to speak to anyone." He told her coolly.

"Well tell her that her mother wants to talk to her!"

"Esme? Are you okay?" Renee gasped when she heard Bella's voice, muted on the other end of the line. "What...oh! Sorry Carlisle." Her voice dropped to a whisper and Renee couldn't make out any of the words. Esme said something about 'your mother' and Renee jumped at her chance.

"Tell Bella that I have to talk to her! Please! I need to speak with her!" The man…Carlisle, sighed.

"Bella, Renee wishes to speak with you." Renee could hear Bella say something, and then Esme whispered just as softly. "Of course." Carlisle said quietly, obviously speaking to one of the people with him. "I'm sorry Renee, but Bella can't talk right now. And I need to go as well. Goodbye." His voice had been flawlessly polite, but Renee felt as if he had just slammed a door in her face when the dial tone sounded in her ear.

"He hung up on me." She looked at Phil incredulously, and her husband walked over and gathered her into his arms. She felt instantly bad for shouting at Phil earlier. He didn't even know what was going on…only that she'd started shouting at him for no reason when he asked what Charlie wanted, and that she'd been glued to the phone for the better part of two hours. Now, in the near silence, she whispered the story Charlie had told her…from Bella coming home with an injured hand and an angry friend, to her fleeing to her boyfriend's house where she apparently lived now, to the childhood trauma that had started all this. "This was my fault, Phil. How could I not see it?" She whispered, more tears falling from her eyes.

"How could you have known?" He asked gently, guiding her to the sofa and sitting down with her on his lap, wiping her tears away. "Bella is such a quiet girl…she never told you when something was bothering her…"

"But she did once!" Renee cried, driven by her own guilt. "She came to me one day and said that Jeremy scared her! She said that he was watching her…I thought she was jealous that I was dating again!"

"And she probably was!" He comforted her. "She should have told you if it got so serious…"

"You don't think she's lying!" Renee was incredulous and he hurried to reassure her.

"No, of course not. But maybe…she's misremembering it. You know…false memories. Maybe that boy kissing her scared her, and it made her think…I don't know…that the boyfriend you had that she was jealous of did the same thing to her." Renee nodded a little. That did sound like Bella…living in that strange, quiet world of her own.

"Maybe." She said softly.

Phil liked Bella. He really did. She was a nice kid….quiet and a little too interested in books, in his opinion, but she loved her mom, so it didn't really matter to him. She'd volunteered to live with her father, obviously wanting to give him some alone time with his new wife, which he appreciated, and he'd only seen her once since. She'd been laid up in a hospital after falling down a flight of stairs at the time, but once again she'd been nice, apparently happy to see him when she finally woke. Her new boyfriend seemed nice enough as well, greeting him courteously, if distractedly, and staying by Bella's side all the time. Once or twice, Phil offered to bring the kid something to eat, but he always declined with a grim smile.

So Phil had no idea why Bella was behaving this way now. She was obviously happy with her dad and her new boyfriend and her new life. She'd refused her mother's offer to come and live with them in Florida. And apparently she'd taken a spur of the moment trip to Italy with her boyfriend and his sister…and was grounded for quite a while…but Charlie had let her off the hook recently, something he wouldn't have done. So he didn't understand, with her happy little relationship and her doting father, why she would stick with her childhood delusions and insist that her mother's boyfriends had been attacking her, kissing her when her mother wasn't around. Even if it had happened, he wondered why she was speaking up now. Why hadn't she said something when it happened? Why hadn't she spoken to a teacher or a friend…how had she kept it from Renee? And why? If she wanted to spare her mother's feelings, why bring it up now? Phil pressed the phone to his ear, smiling when it was picked up. "Hello?" He was a bit surprised to get Bella's hesitant voice, but he was glad he did. He made his voice kind, hoping to get her to open up to him.

"Hey Bella. It's Phil."

"Hi." She said quietly, her voice hesitant.

"Listen…your mom told me everything, and I think you and I need to talk." Bella was silent, which he took as encouragement to go on. "I know that your mom dating was hard…I understand. I really do." He told her in a friendly voice. "My dad started dating again after my mom died, and I hated all of his girlfriends. I even told my dad that one of them hit me once…just so he'd break up with her." He chuckled softly at the memory, ignoring her lack of response. "It's perfectly normal to be jealous when you're that young and your parents start dating other people. But you're old enough to know better than this, Bella." He chided her gently. "Now, I know you're afraid people will be mad at you for lying, but I want you to tell me the truth; have you been exaggerating? Even just a little bit?" Silence. "Don't you think you would have told somebody if that had really happened?" There was a soft sob on the other end and he smiled, glad he was getting through to her and hoping she would confess. He spoke even more gently than before, needing her to know how she was affecting the people around her. "This is really hurting your mother. Don't you care, Bella?"

There was a soft choking noise on the other end, and then a deep, masculine voice spoke. "Who is this?" The man demanded, his voice irritated and colored by a southern twang.

"Um…Phil Dwyer." He told the man, a bit confused. "Who is this?"

The man ignored his question. "You ever call my little sister again, I'll come and find you. Do you understand me?" His voice was little more than a murmur, but he sounded furious.

"Little sister? Who is this? Is that a threat?" He cried incredulously. As far as Phil knew, Bella didn't have any brothers. He didn't know if her boyfriend did…he had a vague memory of two guys hanging around, both large and standoffish, but couldn't remember if Edward had introduced them as brothers or cousins…maybe some other kind of relation.

"I wouldn't test it if I were you." The man snarled, then the cell phone was snapped shut and Phil was left listening to the dial tone.

"Renee!" He called, stepping into the living room where she was reading a book.

"Hm?"  
"Bella is an only child…right?" She gave him a strange look.

"Yes…why?"

"No reason."

"Are you sure about this?" Renee glanced up at her husband who stood beside his suitcase, eyes her a bit warily. She wasn't sure why he seemed so reluctant to travel to her hometown…but ever since his quiet phone call in the kitchen, he'd been a bit on edge and didn't seem eager to see Bella. She, on the other hand, had been excited while booking the last minute plane tickets the day before.

"I'm positive. If those…people won't let me talk to my daughter, I'm going to go see her for myself. They probably haven't even told her I called! You know, Charlie was telling me that those people are kind of strange…"

"Those people?" Phil asked, his voice distracted as he loaded their luggage in the car. She rolled her eyes and stepped forward to help him.

"The Cullens. Edward's family. He told me that they're all a bit weird. It is kind of strange…they're awfully young to be raising so many teenagers."

"How many teenagers?" Phil wondered.

"Um…well there's Edward…two other boys, I think, and two girls. All foster children apparently."

"Five teenagers in one house! Plus Bella." He chuckled. "They certainly have their hands full." She nodded, climbing into the passenger seat as Phil started the car and began the short drive to the airport.

The plane ride was fairly short, and soon Phil found himself driving a rental through a dark forest, as though he were in a fairy tale...a scary one. Charlie had been more than accommodating, offering to let them stay in his house while he visited a friend. But when Renee had asked him where Bella was, he had been hesitant.

"Renee, Bella is still staying with the Cullens."

"Then where do the Cullen's live?" Renee had asked, still determined.

"Renee..." Charlie sighed, his voice trailing off. "This isn't a good idea." He warned her softly. Phil, remembering the whispered threat from the day before, had to agree.

"Honestly, Charlie. You act like the Cullens are dangerous!"

"No...not dangerous." He'd spoken carefully. "You won't find a better man than Dr. Cullen...I've always said so. He's a great doctor...one of the best, and he could work anywhere in the country. Forks is lucky to have him. And he loves his family and those kids. But he's...well, they're all quite...protective of each other...especially Bella. They really care about her...especially those brothers of Edward's. Carlisle even told me that they see her as a part of the family, as their little sisters." Phil had become thoughtful then, assuming that the man on the other end had been one of Edward's brothers. And when I was fighting with Bella at their house...well that big kid of theirs, Emmett...he's down right scary when he's mad. So just be careful of what you say."

"Honestly, Charlie. You're a cop, and you're scared of a couple of teenagers?" Renee had snorted, but Charlie had remained serious.

"You haven't seen these teenagers angry, Renee. There's something...off about the Cullens."

Phil had to agree as he drove down the twisting, winding path as their GPS led them to the Cullen home. Charlie had programed it for them, giving them the address and a few verbal directions. The turn was almost completely hidden by trees and Phil wondered how anyone ever found this place. 'Maybe that's the idea.' An ominous voice in the back of his head spoke, and he shook his head at his own ridiculousness and growing dread. 'I'm being silly.' He told himself as he continued to drive. 'It's just a family of teenagers. Their father is a highly respected doctor, for crying out loud. How dangerous can they be?' Smiling a little at his silly fears, he looked up in awe as the path opened up, and he found himself in a clearing with a giant white house. Taking in the beautiful architecture as he parked, he missed the seven pairs of black eyes glaring at him from the downstairs window.


	10. Chapter 10

Bella woke slowly, watching idly as her dream faded, and the sunlight coming in through the windows touched her eyes. She opened them and stretched languidly, smiling a little when the cold presence beside her moved away a bit to give her room, then moved closer, chilled arms slipping around her and icy lips pressing against her shoulder, covered in a bandage. "How are you feeling?" She looked up into his eyes and smiled, blinking a little at the bright light, and leaned over to kiss him.

"Fine. How are you feeling?" He chuckled, his eyes lighting up in mirth, and moved some hair behind her ear.

"Very well."

"You weren't bored? Watching me sleep can't be all that interesting…" He laughed again, kissing her forehead.

"I can't be bored when I'm with you. But I did go downstairs for a little while. Jasper and Emmett dragged me into one of their video games." She smiled, moving closer and resting her head on his arm, taking a deep breath of his scent. He always made her feel safe, no matter the situation, and she tried to use that as much as possible, especially when unpleasant memories threatened to surface. "Carlisle is wondering how your arm feels." She moved it a little and looked at up him.

"Sore, but not bad. I can move my arm fine."

"Okay. We'll put it back in the sling then." He grinned when she rolled her eyes, trying to express her irritation at the, in her eyes, unnecessary, addition. "It's only for another day or so. It's not a big deal really, Bella." He laughed when she glared at him. "What? It's just to keep you from reinjuring it. You're lucky he doesn't make you wear the sling for a week. He's letting you off easy."

"Where is everyone?" She asked, changing the subject.

He placed an arm around her and sat up, pulling her with him as he slipped the sling over her head and helped maneuver her arm into it. "Carlisle and Esme are in his study. Rosalie is in the garage with Emmett. Alice and Jasper are…out." She looked up at him strangely. "What? We go out sometimes." He laughed softly and helped her to her feet, instantly wrapping his arms around her and holding her to his chest. "Maybe we can try it tomorrow? The meadow would be nice."

"That sounds fantastic…can we go today?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"Nice try, but no. I think you'd better take it easy again today." She started to answer but a light on the nightstand caught her eye and she frowned, stepping past him and picking up her phone, instantly noticing his annoyed expression. "It kept vibrating and I didn't want it to wake you, so I put it on silent." He told her, slightly apologetic. "I didn't think you'd want to talk to anyone." She flipped the phone open and realized she'd just missed a call from her mother, the thought making her grimace. "Are you okay?"

"I really don't want to talk to her." She told him sadly as she checked her missed call log, scrolling through seven missed calls. 'But she's my mother…I shouldn't ignore her calls.' She sighed, shutting the phone and clenching it in her hand.

"Leave it with Carlisle." He suggested softly. She looked up at him in confusion and he grinned. "He can answer if it's Renee, and if it's an emergency, then he can tell you. But you won't have to talk to her if you don't want to." She nodded.

"Will he mind?"

"Not at all." Bella jumped and spun around, falling against Edward, and giving Carlisle, who was suddenly standing in the doorway, an exasperated look. Edward snorted and helped her stand on her own. "The door was open." He defended himself, and Edward laughed.

"Are you sure you don't mind." Bella asked, clutching her phone in her hands. Carlisle shook his head and stepped into the room, taking her clenched hand in her own and gently opening her fingers, taking the phone into his own and dropping it into his pocket. "I'll be in my study today. I have plenty of paperwork to catch up on, and Esme will probably stay with me, so one of us will get you if something happens, okay?" He placed his hands on Bella's shoulders and leaned down, kissing her on the forehead. Smiling, Bella threw her right arm around him.

"Thank you."

"Of course." He mumbled, holding her close with one arm and stroking her hair with the other. "Don't worry."

Carlisle smiled at Edward, squeezing his shoulder briefly, then stepped out, heading back to his study. "Esme made breakfast if you're hungry, Bella." He told her kindly before stepping back into his study and shutting the door softly.

"Come on, let's feed the human." Edward spoke up, kissing her temple. Bella smiled and nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead her downstairs.

Carlisle glanced up from his paperwork from the hospital and looked at the little phone that began to buzz. Esme picked it up, checked the name, and flipped it open, pressing it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello? Bella?" Esme sighed softly at the voice.

"No. This is Esme Cullen, her…" Esme closed her eyes and forced a small smile, the pained look on her face literally making his heart ache. "Edward's mother. Can I help you?"

"I want to talk to Bella." Carlisle could hear her sharp tone from his desk and started to stand, but Esme gave him a reproving look.

"I'm sorry miss..."

"Mrs. Renee Dwyer." The woman snapped.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Dwyer, but Bella doesn't with to speak with anyone unless it is an emergency. She just got out of the hospital and…"

"I want to talk to my daughter right now!" Carlisle growled softly, but Esme was perfectly calm.

"Mrs. Dwyer…" She began, taking a deep breath, but was cut off as the woman began to shout again. He stood now, but Esme kept waving him off, turning in the chair to face the other way. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the desk, listening carefully. "Mrs. Dwyer, I already told you, Bella doesn't wish to…" And then the woman was screaming again, and Carlisle was done.

Carlisle was known for his even temper and compassion. He dealt with humans all the time, most of them in pain and irritable, and with coworkers that were competitive workaholics, most with a God complex which he found amusing. He'd had his share of sharp comments thrown at him, and took it with good grace and understanding. But lately he'd had enough. First came the attack of his daughter and the revelation that she'd faced the same treatment as a child. Then Charlie had accused not only himself…which was appalling but, as anything against himself, forgivable, but also his sons, which was completely unforgivable, of hurting their beloved little human. Then she was shot, in pain, sick, and suffered a panic attack all in less than 48 hours. He was completely done with understanding and compassion for the moment…too many things were screwing with his family, and he was sick of it. Now, this woman was screaming at his beloved wife, whose only crime was protecting their little girl from any more pain, intentional or not, from her mother. He snatched the phone from her hand, ignoring her surprised glare, and clenched his jaw.

"Excuse me. May I ask why you are shouting at my wife?" He snapped. The conversation didn't go well, but he remained mostly polite, due in part to his wife's hand on his own, gently squeezing in an effort to keep him calm. But Bella had walked by at the end, her eyes checking automatically for an open door to his study, and caught Esme's sad expression.

"Esme? Are you okay?" Carlisle smiled, his eyes softening at her concerned tone, and Esme did as well, standing to hug their little girl. "What…oh! Sorry, Carlisle." She dropped her tone, not wanting to interrupt him while he was talking on the phone, and he waved away her apology while Esme kissed her on the forehead. They were both just happy to see her back on her feet, and Carlisle temporarily forgot about the woman on the other line, until she began shouting at him again.

"Tell Bella that I have to talk to her! Please! I need to speak with her!" Carlisle sighed, drawing Bella's attention, and he spoke up, holding the phone away from his ear.

"Bella, Renee wishes to speak with you." He hated how the girl's face paled…how her breath caught and her heart sped up, terrifying him once again.

"Do…do I have to?" Esme shook her head, beating Carlisle to reassure her.

"No, of course not sweetie." She whispered, stroking her hair.  
"Can…can I go back downstairs now?" The pained, trapped look on the girl's face broke his heart, and Carlisle gave her a gentle smile.

"Of course." She fled the room, stepping out of Esme's arms and disappearing down the hall. Being as polite as he could at the moment, Carlisle hung up on Renee and pulled his wife into his arms.

"I hate this." She whispered, sobbing softly.

"I know….me too."

"She wasn't like this…she's so scared!" He nodded. That was what worried him. He'd never seen Bella have a panic attack before, and to see it now…his own eyes filled and he held his wife tighter. "She shouldn't have to go through this! I thought she was getting better!" Esme pulled away and looking into his eyes, her own pleading.

"She was…but when her father found out…it made her remember again. And now that Renee knows…it terrifies her. She's afraid that we'll stop believing her…Renee did…Charlie doubted her as well. She's afraid we'll hurt her like they did. Jasper and Emmett are helping…we all are." He assured her. "She needs to know that she's safe and that we understand what happened to her."

"But what if…"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, love. She will get better. We are going to make sure of it." For all his assurances, he felt like a failure as a father. He was doing his best, but no matter how he tried, he just couldn't seem to protect Bella.

Bella stared down at her phone and, with a sigh, flipped it open. She'd taken it back from Esme and Carlisle earlier that day, insisting that she would be fine. Besides, she couldn't bear to have Renee shouting at Esme…she couldn't bear to have anyone shouting at her second mother. Esme had been kind about it, promising later that it didn't bother her, but Bella knew that it bothered Carlisle and that was enough for her. Pressing the phone to her ear, she was surprised to hear Phil's voice.

She greeted him hesitantly, but as soon as he began to speak, she felt it…the same consuming fear she'd felt two days ago. 'Too much.' She thought desperately as he began to 'reason' with her in his condescending voice. 'He doesn't believe me. Renee probably thinks it was my fault. No…I didn't want her to know…she'll be so ashamed. Why couldn't I stop them?' In the midst of her panic, his words made her stop short, her breath catching.

"Don't you think you would have told someone if that had really happened?" Bella felt as though someone were sitting on her chest as she started sob, her breath coming in quick, pained gasps. Phil really believed that she would lie about this…would hurt her mother for no reason. Placing a hand against her chest, she whimpered softly, the constricting feeling in her chest becoming more and more painful. "This is really hurting your mother. Don't you care Bella?" Bella felt her breath catch in her throat and tried to breathe, her heartbeat accelerating in response to her panic.

Suddenly the phone was ripped out of her hand and she was tucked against a cold, hard body, a wave of peace and contentment going to war with her panic. A soft voice snarled something, but she couldn't make out any words as she fought to breathe, her weak gasps growing more and more desperate as black dots danced across her vision. Her phone hit the floor with a soft thump, and Jasper's blurry face appeared in front of hers. "Bella, calm down. None of us think you're lying, darling. He's not going to bother you again. It's okay. C'mon, Bella. You have to breathe." His voice was anxious in response to the panic she was sure she was projecting, but she just couldn't breathe! She clutched his arm, tugging on it urgently as she gasped, begging in a breathless voice through her gasps.

"Please…please…can't! I can't…!" She sobbed again and he gripped her arms when she started to sway as she hyperventilated, helping her sit on the edge of the bed and surrounding her with another dose of calm and peace, but it wasn't reaching her. All she could think of was her mother's face as Phil told her that her daughter was lying…or that she'd been at fault…that she should have told her…should have fought back. 'I should have! I shouldn't have let it happen.'

"Carlisle!" Jasper's voice was bordering on panic and she wondered what he could possibly be worried about, but realized quickly that she was still desperately gasping for breath and that the black spots in her vision were getting bigger. "I can't calm her down! She's having a panic attack!" Everything seemed to swim around her as Carlisle seemed to disappear and then reappear with something in his hands. Someone held her arm tightly, and she fought as hard as she could. She didn't want to be held down! She wanted to breathe! But the hand on her arm held it completely still and she finally quit resisting, letting the tears fall unchecked down her face as there was a soft prick in the crook of her arm, making her gasp and whimper. Immediately Carlisle pulled her into his arms, cradling her against him as he sat beside her.

"Shh. It's okay. That's going to help. It's okay, sweetheart." She felt tears falling down her face, but suddenly lifting her hand to wipe her face was too much effort, and she felt herself go limp against him after a few moments. "There you go, Bella. Breathe, honey." She did, greedily sucking in air as her eyes closed, finally feeling the peace and contentment that Jasper had tried so hard to give her.

Jasper gritted his teeth and focused on keeping his fury and panic to himself, not wanting to hurt Bella any more than she already had been by projecting. He had just returned with Alice from a day together hiking and….well spending time together in the woods, passing Edward who sat on the couch downstairs, and learning that Bella was in the shower attached to his room. He had been about to sit and watch TV with him before he suddenly began feeling a strange emotion coming from upstairs..…something close to fear. Immediately, he'd headed upstairs, motioning for Edward to stay where he was. There was nothing dangerous in the house…well, apart from the family of vampires she lived with, and he had no idea what could be causing those feelings. But then they were getting stronger…much stronger than he'd ever felt from her, and he'd raced up the remaining stairs, arriving in her bedroom in half a second, plenty of time to catch the final words from the voice on the phone and the panicked, pained look on her face as she had gasped, lips parted as though she couldn't breathe, and he realized that she couldn't.

He'd grabbed the phone from her nearly limp hand, slipping an arm around her and trying to calm her down while demanding to know the name of the soon-to-be-dead moron who was hurting his little sister.

"Phil Dwyer. Who is this?" Jasper had clenched his jaw at the irritated tone of the man's voice. So this was Bella's stepfather, he realized. He'd met the man once, when Bella was in the hospital the first time, and he hadn't really felt anything toward the man. Of course, he'd been trying to comfort his family and keep from projecting his own emotions…so he hadn't noticed much about Bella's family. Now he felt nothing but hatred as his little sister leaned on him, gasping for air as she struggled through the panic attack.

He had taken a millisecond to mourn the fact that he didn't have time for a proper threat, and clenched the phone in his hand, nearly cracking the plastic. "You ever call my little sister again, I'll come and find you. Do you understand me?" He had growled, letting every bit of hatred he felt for the man bleed into his voice.

"Little sister? Who is this? Is that a threat!"

Bella had gasped beside him, a sob breaking through, and he had nearly broken the phone in frustration and fear. She had been bordering on collapse and he had to calm her down. "I wouldn't test it if I were you." He had snarled, snapping the phone shut and letting the stupid thing fall to the floor as he used every ounce of his talent to try and calm her. "Bella, calm down." He had begged softly, rubbing her arms with his hand and sending more calming waves toward her. "None of us think you're lying, darlin. He's not going to bother you again. It's okay. C'mon, Bella. You have to breathe." Jasper had realized at that moment that, had he been human, tears would have been falling down his face, so strong were his own emotions. As it was, his eyes had filled with venom and he'd blinked it back furiously, desperate to ease her pain as her gasps grew weaker and her eyes lost focus.

"Please…please…can't!" She had gasped loudly, nearly collapsing against him, and he had flinched at the all-consuming panic that washed over him. "I can't…!" She blinked, her eyes unfocused, and she was unable to even finish her sentence.

'I can't help her…this isn't doing anything….' He had pulled her closer then, kissing her forehead, but wasn't sure if she noticed, and he helped her sit down, his arms around her as he leaned her back against him, tilting her head back and hoping to open her airway as much as possible.

"Carlisle!" He had all but screamed, his voice raw and pained, and instantly Carlisle was in the room, his eyes wide in surprise and worry.

"Jasper! What…."

Jasper had been too frantic to let him finish. "I can't calm her down! She's having a panic attack!" Carlisle had fled the room then, his face grim and worried, and then returned a second later with a syringe.

"Hold her still." He had told his son quietly, flinching when Bella fought weakly against Jasper's firm hold on her arm, tears falling down her face. Too weak to fight, she'd seemed to resign herself to the prick in her arm and Carlisle cupper her cheek as he pushed the medicine into her bloodstream. "Oh sweetheart…" He'd whispered, his own eyes wet, and Jasper had let him hold her, slouching down to the ground and sobbing softly into his hands.

Glancing up, he realized that she was now limp and breathing normally, his gift combined with the medication putting her into a zombie-like state, but he couldn't get the image of her blue tinged lips… or her desperate pleas to him, out of his mind. He was furious…no. He was beyond furious. He wanted to murder that man, and for the first time in his life as a vampire, it had nothing to do with blood. He wanted this man to suffer like he'd made his little sister, now limp and still weakly gasping for breath in their father's arms, had suffered.

Looking at Carlisle's face, he knew his father felt the same. His father was confused, but furious, and Jasper took a long breath. When he spoke, his voice was still raw. "Her step-father called. From what I heard, he was calling her a liar…telling her that she was hurting her mother for no reason and should know better." For a second, he prepared himself to catch Bella, as his father tensed as though he would jump up and start hunting the man down. His emotions were overwhelming for a second, and Jasper caught his breath at their intensity. But after a forced breath and a dose of calm from his son, Carlisle was back to focusing on Bella. "She was just crying at first…but I could feel her fear when I came in…the same kind I felt yesterday. But this was worse. She was paralyzed with it…her pulse was too fast, and, as you can tell, she couldn't breathe. She was about to pass out when I called for you." He spoke in low voice, too low for Bella to hear, but he felt Edward and Emmett's presence in the doorway and wondered how long they had been there.

Edward seemed paler than normal, which was physically impossible, and stood as still as a statue. Emmett, on the other hand, stormed into the room when Jasper finished speaking, racing up to their father and Bella, and started to pull her into his arms. For a moment, Carlisle seemed about to fight back, his body stiffening as though protecting Bella from another threat, but one look into Emmett's eyes and he calmed, pulling back and letting his son take his sister with a strained smile.

His brothers were murderous. Edward hadn't moved from his spot in the doorway and, judging by his emotions, was wondering if he should comfort his mate after a perceived attack, or find the attacker and tear him apart, leaving her in the capable hands of his family. Jasper could sympathize.

"What is wrong with these people?" Emmett asked his voice honestly pained and bewildered as he looked down into Bella's unresponsive face, rocking her back and forth gently in his arms. Jasper shook his head and Carlisle snorted, a humorless sound.

"They are morons." The doctor declared, his voice still furious, and Jasper knew that their father had had enough. But looking at his brothers, Jasper knew that they all had. She'd been hurt too many times by these people, and they were not getting another chance.

Emmett sat back against the headboard once again, Bella cradled in his lap, while Edward stood stiffly by, his jaw clenched. Every so often the smaller vampire would growl or muter to himself, glance up at Bella's limp form in Emmett's lap, and then go back to imitating a statue. Emmett understood though…it was how his brother coped. Jasper had stood after a few minutes, followed by Carlisle, and the two were in Carlisle's study, debating on taking a little trip to Florida. Surprisingly, Carlisle wasn't as against it as Emmett had thought he would be.

Bella began to stir after another half hour, her eyes blinking as he came into focus, and she gave him a look full of confusion. "Emmett?" He smiled, unable to help himself. She was always able to pack so much meaning into just their names. She trusted him…completely, and the fact that she had woken up from a drug-induced haze in his arms didn't bother her at all. She seemed relieved, actually, to be held by him as she rested her head against him.

"Hey Bells. Carlisle had to give you some medicine to calm you down. No, don't worry. It's okay. You're fine." He assured her when her eyes widened.

"Phil thinks…"

"I don't give a sh*t what Phil thinks." Emmett growled. "He's a moron, and we all know it. He's lucky he lives so far away…it would be an inconvenience to drive all the way down there just to kill one person."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." He told her firmly, not knowing why she insisted on apologizing for things that weren't her fault. "You couldn't have known he'd be such a as….jerk." He censored himself, not wanting to incur Esme's wrath by swearing too much around his little sister…not in the house anyway. "You thirsty?" He sat up, helping her move off of his lap and onto the bed. "There you go….can you stand up?" She did, with his help, and his heart clenched at the sight of this little fragile human girl as she clutched his arm, trying valiantly to stand on her own.

"I've got you." He promised, supporting her weight easily. Her ankle was pretty much fine…Carlisle had x-rayed it and declared it too minor an injury to really worry about, but he wasn't about to chance her making it worse. She gave him a grateful smile as he led her to the door.

"Where's Edward?" She asked softly, glancing at the shut door to Carlisle's study.

"Talking to Carlisle and Jasper…I think Jasper's still trying to calm him down."

"From what?" He stared down at her incredulously. 'Is this girl serious?' He had to wonder, but her face was perfectly genuine.

"Bella…someone attacked his mate." He told her simply, putting it in terms that she could, hopefully, understand.

"Phil didn't…"

"Oh no. We're not playing that game again, Bella." He told her firmly. "He attacked you…verbally anyway. He hurt you so badly that a doctor had to medicate you in order to calm you down…no don't worry about it. You had a panic attack and it was too severe for Jasper to calm you down, so Carlisle sedated you. It's okay…you won't have to talk to that mothe…jerk again. But Edward was already on edge, and after seeing how much that…" Emmett scowled in frustration at his own inability to find inoffensive pronouns. "…how much Phil hurt you…let's just say he's ready to kill the guy. Actually, so are Carlisle and Jasper."

Her eyes widened. "Carlisle."

"Someone hurt his daughter." He told her simply, a little surprised when her eyes filled and a tear slipped down her face. He started to ask if she was okay, but she smiled softly down at the floor and he realized that she wasn't sad at all. Smiling, he hugged her to his side and helped her down the stairs and to the kitchen where he poured her a glass of water and began to entertain her with his culinary skills…or lack thereof.

Edward cradled his head in his hands, his entire body tense and ready for a fight as he sat on the sofa in his father's study. Jasper stood by the window, his arms crossed as he gazed through the glass, as though keeping watch. He was thinking about tearing Bella's stepfather apart. Carlisle was sitting in his desk chair, his entire body thrumming with furious energy as his hands literally shook. Edward had never seen either of them this furious and was glad that he wasn't the only one. Of course he knew how much they cared about his beloved Bella, but had apparently underestimated how far they would go for her. At the moment, Carlisle was planning a road trip to Florida.

Glancing up when he felt another presence in the room, he nodded stiffly to his sister. "No need." All three of them watched as she leaned against the wall by the door, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed in anger. It was rare to see Alice truly angry about something, but her teeth were bared in a snarl that had nothing to do with the people in the room. The males of the family weren't the only one's who'd had enough of this crap, Edward realized, but his realization was cut off when he saw Alice's vision. "Her mother and stepfather will arrive tomorrow evening." Edward leapt to his feet and snarled in Alice's direction, a gesture so obviously meant toward her vision that neither herself nor Jasper moved an inch. "Can we kill them?"

Carlisle gave Alice a long, thoughtful look, and Edward knew that he was honestly contemplating it. "Not here, obviously. And not both of them. Phil seems to be the main problem." Her eyes were completely serious, which didn't really surprise Edward. From the beginning, Alice had been Bella's biggest supporter, declaring that she loved the girl and that they would be best friends, and her prediction had come true. Despite Bella's protests and complaints, Edward knew that she truly loved his sister and spending time with her. According to Bella, she'd never really had any good friends…something that surprised him, considering the way she seemed to draw people in. But she thrived with his family, and they loved her in return. So Alice's plans were neither half-formed nor made in jest. "We'll let them come in, scare them a bit, and let them go home. Then one or two of us can follow them and kill him on the way….we'll have to get him away from Renee…" She placed a small finger to her mouth as she planned it out and Edward and Jasper looked to Carlisle.

Finally, after a longer moment of thought than Edward had expected, Carlisle shook his head. "No…we aren't going to kill anyone." He spoke with some regret. "Don't get me wrong…I'd love to. But no…we aren't going down that road."

"So we let them come here?"

"Yes." He said simply.

"We let them hurt her again?" Jasper asked incredulously, and Carlisle spun around, facing his son with a fierce expression.

"No!" He snarled. "Never again. They'll never see her again." He promised, his voice fervent.

"If she wants to see them?" Alice asked softly.

Carlisle sighed, pinching his nose between his fingers. "Of course we won't forbid her anything." Carlisle amended in a more moderate tone. "She won't be forced to see them. And we won't leave them alone with her. She's had enough." He told them all softly, speaking aloud the thoughts that didn't need to be said. "She's had two panic attacks in two days. She's recovering from being shot…the trauma of losing at least one person she knew well…that's enough." They all nodded, their eyes solemn.

Emmett glanced over at Rosalie, who stood in the living room, unseen by Bella, as he placed a plate of somewhat edible food in front of their sister. They had both been listening to Alice's discussion with the rest of the family, minus Esme who was out in her garden, and he didn't like the direction it was going. Judging by the look on his wife's face, neither did she. Emmett didn't want that monster in his house…he didn't really want either of them there actually. He didn't know anything about medicine really, or about emotional trauma in humans, but he wasn't sure how much more Edward's little human could take. He'd stood in the doorway with Edward as Carlisle had stuck the needle in her arm, Bella gasping for air and fighting weakly against Jasper's hold on her. He'd watched his fierce southern brother sob on the floor as Carlisle rocked her limp body…watched Edward stand by, completely helpless as his mate was sedated. He never wanted to see any of that again.

"They won't hurt her." Rosalie's voice was too quiet for Bella to hear, but Emmett met her fierce gaze squarely. Sitting down beside the girl across from Emmett, Rosalie threw an arm around Bella's shoulders, surprising the girl as she ate, and making her laugh softly.

"Hey Rosalie. I thought you were in the garage."

"I'm almost finished…just thought I'd come see what you were up to." She said with a casual shrug, eyeing her plate with distaste. "Emmett, you have many skills, love. But cooking isn't one of them." Emmett had stuck out his tongue while Bella laughed, but he could see the fierce protectiveness under the humor. Rosalie might not agree with Bella about the whole becoming a vampire thing, and she might fight with her from time to time, but she was not letting anyone else hurt her sister. This was now personal.


	11. Chapter 11

Edward stood on the top of the stairs, feeling as though his feet were glued to the carpet. A gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder and he didn't have to glance up to know that it was his father. Jasper and Alice had disappeared to their own room, and Emmett and Rosalie were downstairs, keeping Bella company while she nibbled at the food Emmett had fixed her. Esme came up beside him on his other side, and he heard her worried thoughts. He opened his mouth to speak, but clamped it shut immediately, clenching his teeth and stifling the soft sob. "Oh, honey." Esme whispered, wrapping her arms around him and holding his head against her shoulder. "She's going to be okay." She assured him softly while Carlisle kept a hand on his back.

"She's not okay!" He cried, still too soft for Bella to hear downstairs. "Carlisle had to sedate her, Mom! She was having a panic attack…and she couldn't breathe! All because that…man was calling her a liar! And now they're coming here?" He shook his head and Esme turned him a little, leading him back into Carlisle's office, his father right behind them. Then the door was shut and they were all sitting on the sofa.

"Bella is not just your mate, Edward." Carlisle placed a hand on the back of Edward's neck, squeezing firmly. "She is our daughter. She has Emmett and Jasper as her big brothers, and Alice and Rosalie as her big sisters. No one else is going to hurt her…not without serious consequences. I will personally make sure of it."

"Someone already did." Edward said softly, his eyes dull. Carlisle shook his head, his eyes grim.

"And he's going to pay for it." Edward had always respected Carlisle, as his father, as a doctor…as a person. But sometimes he caught glimpses of the monster underneath the oh-so-carefully constructed refinement. It happened when one of his children made him angrier than normal (Something that occurred so rarely that Edward couldn't recall which one of them had caused it to happen last…probably Emmett), or when an outsider threatened one of them. Once, when they'd first come to Forks, one of the werewolves had taken a snap at Esme, and Edward had seen it then. The nomad vampires that they sometimes came across were most often the cause…Carlisle, while being perfectly polite, could quite easily send out the warning that messing with his family would prove lethal for whichever idiot that tried. This…the quiet restraint that barely contained a terrible, fearsome rage…that was what Edward could see now in his father's eyes.

But, as he listened to the thoughts of his family….purely out of habit now, he could hear similar anger and protectiveness in all of their thoughts. Esme, who sat beside him and kept one of his hands in both of hers, was angrier than he'd ever seen…including the time that Emmett had accidently burned one of their houses down. (Something about a bonfire…with gasoline…in the living room. Edward never really questioned it.) Esme had been one of the first to love Bella…at first because the human made Edward so much happier, but later just because of the girl herself, something Edward couldn't blame her for. Bella was certainly lovable. And now, Esme had come to see Bella as her daughter…her youngest little girl. Though Esme was generally not a violent person, less violent than Carlisle if that was possible, she wouldn't accept any kind of threat against her beloved family.

Alice and Jasper were huddled together on their bed, her arms around him. Jasper had been the one to comfort Bella during both of her panic attacks, and was forced to feel all of their emotions. But it was more than that. Jasper genuinely loved his new little sister, and not just because his wife did. Edward had felt a shift in Jasper's thoughts after the incident with Jacob. He was always careful around her…that was necessary, but he was also consciously trying to spend more time with her, especially since she lived in their house, and tried to get used to her smell. He would sit by her at lunch, chatting with her about her day or teasing her about her dismal failure in gym. At home, he and Alice would hang around with the two of them, Jasper challenging Bella to chess games and teaching her the complex version he played along with Emmett. There had even been one day (while Edward was away with Emmett and Rosalie) that Bella had cut herself at the house while cooking. Edward had seen it in his mind later, the brief moment of thirst so powerful that Jasper almost hadn't resisted, and Alice had worried that she would have to drag her mate out of the room. But Bella had immediately stuck her finger under the sink and turned to Jasper, her eyes worried.

"I'm sorry!" Edward had seen the agony in Bella's eyes, as she seemed to believe that she was making life harder for Jasper, and then he'd felt Jasper's residual shock and anguish. Stepping forward (under the shocked and watchful eyes of Alice, who moved with him) Jasper had simply held his breathe and ripped off a piece of his sleeve, then pulling Bella's now clean hand from under the water, had dried and wrapped her palm.

"Don't be sorry." He'd told her gently, half of his mouth coming up in a wry smile. "You okay?" She'd nodded, smiling a bit in response, and had allowed her brother to take over the slicing. Jasper had looked at him in sheer determination when Edward had returned, his eyes wide in surprise. 'I will never give her cause to be afraid of me again.' And Edward believed him.

Emmett was the same, although Bella had never really feared him, much to everyone's surprise. Well…there was this one time where Emmett had destroyed a sofa, but that hardly counted. Regardless, Emmett badly wanted to kill Bella's stepfather. As was to be expected, Emmett was protective of the women in his family, and as soon as he had properly met Bella, that protectiveness had been extended to her, no questions asked, something Edward appreciated about his brother. If anyone, beside himself, would go to extreme lengths to keep Bella safe, it would be Emmett.

And then there was Rosalie…the one who shocked him the most. From the beginning, Rosalie had disliked Bella…and had been the only one to continue to do so even after meeting her. She was just jealous at first, which amused him, but that jealousy had evolved into resentment, especially when Bella had first expressed interest in joining their family as a vampire. Still…something had changed…he knew that Rosalie had told Bella the full story about her change, and that Rosalie still didn't agree with Bella's choice to become a vampire. But after learning about Bella's past, Rose had become more protective, and now, faced with someone who had already hurt her new sister, Rosalie was just as protective as Emmett.

Taking a deep breath, Edward pulled away from his father, offering him a weak smile. Carlisle gave his neck a final, gentle squeeze and then dropped his hand, moving it along the back of the sofa to clasp Esme's. "Are you going to tell her about Renee and Phil?" He asked softly. Edward shook his head as he stood.

"I have no idea…she'll know I'm hiding something. But…"

"They're coming tomorrow." Carlisle reminded him gently, his tone making his displeasure about this fact evident. "She'll be more upset if we don't tell her. Would you like me to talk to her?" Edward was thoughtful, his lips curved into a small frown as he considered the implications.

"Why don't I bring her up here…and I'll tell her in here, just in case…"

"In case she has another panic attack?" Carlisle asked softly. Edward nodded, his eyes anguished. He hadn't been there for the first attack, but the second had been horrific enough. He'd heard her gasping for breath from downstairs, but had hoped that Jasper would be able to calm her like he had the day before. But when Jasper had shouted for Carlisle, he'd been on Emmett's heels, watching in horror as his love had lay against his brother, her lips tinged blue, her eyes wild and terrified as she fought Jasper's gentle hold on her. Then Carlisle has inserted the needle in her arm, and she had stopped fighting, her eyes still frightened, but resigned as tears fell down her face. Together with Emmett, he had watched as Jasper sank to the floor and sobbed, watched Bella go limp in his father's arms…then watched Emmett take her, holding her to his chest and closing his eyes as he comforted her.

He never wanted her to have to suffer that way again…never wanted to see her eyes go wide with all consuming terror as her body fought to breathe…never wanted to hear her pained gasps, or watch her eyes grow vacant as a sedative forced her into a lifeless state. But he had no idea how she would react to the news of Phil and Renee coming. Sometimes her unpredictability amused him…kept him entertained, on his toes. Today, it tormented him. Some things she handled with a strength that surprised her, and now some sent her into a bind panic. He was afraid to find out how she would handle this. But he had to tell her….they couldn't exactly hide her from her own family. So he would take every precaution. He would tell Jasper to wait outside, monitoring her emotions and be on the look out. Carlisle would be in the room, a trained professional with…he shuddered to think it…sedatives within reach, just in case she suffered another attack. Sighting, he clenched his hands into fists.

"If she has another attack, I have medicine ready for her." Carlisle told him softly, gesturing to his black bag, open by the sofa. "You'll be right here, holding her the whole time. She'll be okay."

Edward shook his head, his eyes still pained, but he smiled at his father. "Thank you." He said softly, his voice genuine, and Carlisle nodded.

"We'll be in here any time you're ready to bring her up. I'm going to go talk to Jasper first though." Edward nodded and stepped outside the office once again, this time making down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Bella sat on one of the barstools, her back to him, with Rosalie at her side, her arm around the human girl. Emmett was laughing at something, his eyes holding the same gentle fondness and love he always showed with Bella, Alice, or Rosalie. Edward paused for a moment, taking in the scene. Through Emmett's mind he saw Bella take another small bite of food, and realized that Emmett was worried about how little she was eating. Taking a sniff of the food, Edward couldn't blame her. It smelled like charred meat.

Emmett glanced up and caught his eye, grinning and sending a silent greeting, which Edward returned with a smile and nod, all of which went unnoticed by Bella. Rosalie greeted him as well in her mind, asking if everything was okay. He frowned, not really sure how to answer that. Deciding to talk to them in private later, he stepped into the room and walked up behind Bella, his eyes softening as he placed a hand on her shoulder, and smiling when she jumped. "What on earth are you eating?" He asked quietly, his lips close to her ear. He heard her blood rush to her face, felt the heat from her cheeks as she blushed. She turned and smiled at him, and Rosalie slipped her arm off of her shoulders, pulling away and followed Emmett subtly out of the room.

Edward sat on the stool next to her, pulling her against him and kissing her forehead, one arm moving around her to stroke her back while the other took her hand. "I'm not sure…I think Emmett tried to make eggs and sausage." She laughed sheepishly and Edward chuckled.

"Are you still hungry?" He asked, glancing at her almost full plate. She shook her head, eyes dimming a bit, and he frowned, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "I can make you something…or we have cereal if you prefer."

"I'm not really that hungry." She said simply, forcing a smile. He was instantly worried, knowing that nausea was a symptom of panic attacks and could last for hours.

'What if she has another attack….what if it makes her seriously ill….' A warm hand on his face brought him out of his thoughts and he managed a strained smile when he caught her worried look.

"Alright. Well, why don't you have some more water then? Or would you like a soda?" He moved to the fridge and pulled out a can of coke, which she accepted with a smile, opening the can with a soft hiss and taking a long drink. For a few minutes they sat together at the counter in silence, her hand wrapped around the cool drink and his arm around her. "Bella." When he finally spoke, his voice seemed too loud in the silence.

"Hm?" She looked at him and immediately her heart rate spiked in response to something she saw in his face.

"…why don't you come upstairs?" He asked softly. "I need to talk to you about something." She paled a little and he gripped her hand. "Nothing bad." He assured her gently. "Nothing that you should worry about. I…just need to tell you about something." She frowned a bit, her eyes becoming more confused than frightened, and she lifted an eyebrow.

"Okay…" She said slowly, standing with him and, taking his hand, following him up the stairs.

Bella followed Edward into Carlisle's study, taking a customary look at the beautiful wall of paintings, and then greeting Esme and Carlisle, who sat on one of the sofas. Edward led her to a large chair across from the sofa and sat together with her there, with her almost on his lap. Carlisle and Edward looked at each other for a long moment, obviously communicating silently, and then Carlisle leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands.

"Bella…we have some news that Alice just told us a few minutes ago." The doctor started, speaking carefully. A strange calm washed over her, instantly making her suspicious as she fought it, trying to keep her mind clear. If Jasper was around and trying to calm her down, then it must be bad.

"Did…did I do something?" She asked carefully, knowing that everyone in the room…well, probably everyone in the house, could hear her heart rate increase. Edward held her a little tighter.

"No of course not." Her second father said with a gentle smile. "Alice told us that…well, that Renee and Phil are buying plane tickets…they'll go to Charlie's sometime tomorrow evening…and then he will give them directions here. They wish…" A strange roaring in her ears drowned the rest of Carlisle's words out and she clamped her eyes shut, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning forward. She was barely aware of the fact that she was speaking.

"No. No no no no!" She mumbled, shaking her head. 'I can't see my mother…I can't! She knows! She'll ask me questions…I'll have to talk to her! I can't! I can't do this…they're going to make me talk to her…and Phil! Oh no…Phil! He already thinks I'm a liar. He'll try talking to me again…he'll ask why I didn't talk to someone. He'll realize that I'm a coward…and why do I feel so sick and my chest hurts!' Unable to make any sense of what was going on, she tried to escape from the cold iron bands around her arms, the gentle pull trying to hold her against something cold.

Suddenly she managed to pull away, jerking forward and standing, but she couldn't breathe, the lack of oxygen making her head spin as she sank to her knees and gasped, desperate for oxygen. 'I have to get away! But it hurts!' She screamed inside of her mind, chanting it over and over. Her stomach turned and her head spun as she tried to stand again, but once again she was pulled into cold arms that held her still.

"Bella!" Her name came to her, distorted as though she were underwater, but she tried to listen, using the words as a lifeline. "Sweetheart, breathe okay?" Focusing only on that task, she tried, gasping for air once again and leaning her head against the cold figure that held her. The strange calm was welcome now...she embraced it, trying to take as much of it as she could.

"Hang on, Carlisle." She immediately recognized Jasper's voice and realized that Carlisle must still be in the room.

"Please!" She cried, sobbing in earnest now. "Don't make me talk to them!" She pleaded with Carlisle. He'd made her talk to her father, and she knew that he thought it was the right thing to do, but she couldn't face Renee right now…or Phil for that matter. "Please, Daddy."

Carlisle looked up at Edward, his eyes thoughtful. 'Do you want me to tell her?' He knew that Edward wanted to be the one to talk to her, but his son was afraid. The boy nodded slightly and Carlisle gave a small, reassuring smile to Bella. "Bella…we have some news that Alice just told us a few minutes ago." He told her gently, choosing his words as carefully as possible. Immediately Bella's heart rate sped up and he listened carefully, making sure it didn't move into any kind of danger zone.

"Did…did I do something?" She asked in a small, weak voice. He realized that she thought he was going to scold her for something. Shaking his head, he smiled at her, hoping that he could reassure her.

"No of course not. Alice told us that…well, that Renee and Phil are buying plane tickets…they'll go to Charlie's sometime tomorrow evening…and then he will give them directions here. They wish to speak to you…" His words died in his mouth when she started shaking her head, her breath catching and her heart pounding too quickly. Edward tried to hold her against him, his eyes panicked, but she was trying to pull away. Sighing sadly, and feeling panic of his own, he reached over for his black bag and pulled out a syringe.

"No no no no no." She cried, her voice barely a rasp as she fought to breathe. She shook violently, her arms holding her stomach, and for a second he thought she would be sick. Pained, frightened noises escaped from her mouth, tearing at his heart, and he stood from his position on the sofa and knelt in front of her, the syringe in his hand as she pulled away from Edward and tried to stand, only to sink to her knees.

"Bella! Bella, shhh. Easy sweetheart." Edward whispered in a pained voice, kneeling beside her and holding her close. Carlisle leaned closer with the needle, glancing up at Jasper who now stood in the doorway, his eyes focusing solely on Bella, using his gift desperately in hopes that he could calm her. As they had discussed, if Jasper couldn't calm her after a few minutes, Carlisle would sedate her. But suddenly she stopped fighting Edward's arms and cowered against him. "Bella? Sweetheart, breathe okay?" She tried to do so, her whole attention now on the task of taking in oxygen, and Jasper gave a small relieved grin as he stepped into the room, moving a little closer to Bella where she knelt on the ground.

"Hang on Carlisle." The doctor smiled in relief at his son as the younger vampire's gift finally seemed to reach Bella.

"Please." He looked down at Bella who was breathing easier now, but who had tears falling down her face as she began to cry. "Don't make me talk to them! Please Daddy!" She whimpered, her hands clutching at Edward's arm as she finally opened her eyes, staring into Carlisle's. Carlisle reached out and touched her face, wiping at her tears with his thumb.

"Shh, sweetheart. Oh Bella, of course I won't make you see them. You don't even have to be here, okay? I'll deal with them, Bella. Calm down, honey. Deep breaths, okay?" She leaned against Edward and nodded, weak and exhausted but relieved, and he maneuvered her so that she was in his lap. "Put her on the sofa Edward." Carlisle told him softly as he stood, and Esme moved off of the sofa and stood at his side, taking his hand.

Edward lay her on the couch, then covered her with a thick afghan that hung over the back. After making sure she was covered, he lay beside her, tucking her face against his chest and breathing in her scent, his own eyes closed, body relaxed but protectively in front of her. Carlisle shook his head in frustration, moving to sit at his desk and placing his head in his hands. "She's never had panic attacks before?" Esme clarified softly, standing behind him with her hands on his shoulders.

"No. Her medical file doesn't mention any kind of panic disorder, so it's probably just her body's reaction to everything…the incident with Jacob, dealing with her childhood…the shooting." A soothing peace washed over them and he gave Jasper, who had remained in the doorway, a wry smile. "You shouldn't bother about me…keep Bella calm." He told his son gently.

"Bella's fine. We were able to calm her before it got too serious. Her emotions are peaceful…now that she knows you won't make her see Phil and Renee like you made her see Charlie." Carlisle winced at that, started to regret that decision.

"I shouldn't have made her." He told them quietly, although he was sure that Edward wasn't listening. "I didn't have any right to make her."

"You're her father." Jasper's voice was earnest as he stepped up to Carlisle's desk, sitting in a chair adjacent. "She knows that you were trying to help her…she certainly doesn't resent you for it." Carlisle felt reassurance wash over him like warm water, soothing his fear. "I think she would have forced herself to talk to Renee and Phil if you had insisted…she'll respect your decisions like we all do." Carlisle shook his head, feeling, as he sometimes did, the full weight of the responsibility he held. Six…now seven other people looked to him to make decisions for the family…trusted his choices and accepted his rebukes. Of course, Esme was his partner, and they made major decisions together, and he always included everyone in family discussions. But, ultimately, it fell to him to make the choices his family lived with.

"I'm not going to make her speak with them…with anyone. If she doesn't want to be in the house when they arrive tomorrow, Edward can take her somewhere…you all can if you want. I'll speak with them." He said softly. Esme pulled on his shoulder, having him sit back in the chair, and then sat on his lap, her head against his shoulder.

"I'll stay…I'd like to speak to Renee as well." She said softly, and her lips pressed against his neck. Smiling down at her, he kissed her forehead, then rested his own against hers. Glancing up, he noticed that Jasper had left the room, and Edward seemed oblivious, his arms around Bella who seemed to be asleep. "Is she okay, Carlisle?" Esme's eyes demanded the truth and he sighed.

"Not at the moment." He saw Edward stiffen but knew that his son needed the truth as well. "She will be…with plenty of rest. Right now I'm afraid that she could develop a panic disorder. We'll need to keep her away from stressful situations…like the one with Renee and Phil. We might keep her from school for a while…I'm sure we can arrange to have her taught at home…"

"I can teach her." Esme reminded him, and he nodded.

"Yes…you could just teach her here, and either Edward, Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, or Emmett can tutor her if she needs it…make sure she keeps up." Esme nodded against his shoulder. "Otherwise, her shoulder is healing well. She hasn't suffered any long lasting ill effects from the attacks yet…maybe nausea." He amended. "It's normal for her to be tired. Tomorrow, if she feels up to it, Edward can take her out somewhere….the others can go if they like and if she wishes it. After they leave, hopefully things will go back to normal…but we'll all need to be on the lookout for another attack. Sometimes they can come seemingly out of nowhere, and now that she's had three in so short a time period…" He sighed softly.

"We'll all keep an eye on her…especially the boys. They've been wonderful with her lately." He had to smile at that. Jasper and Emmett had exceeded all of his expectations and stepped up, accepting Bella into their home and family without question. They loved her, and seeing her suffer was hurting them. He gave his wife a gentle smile and kissed her, standing with her still in his arms and laughing when she giggled in surprise. They would leave Edward and Bella alone for a while. Stepping through the office door, he made his way to their bedroom.

Edward gave a faint smile and pointedly ignored Carlisle's thoughts, turning his attention back to the girl in his arms. She wasn't quite asleep…every once in a while she would try to scoot closer to him, their legs tangled together despite the blanket. Her hands held his shirt, forming small fists around the fabric, and her head rested on his arm. He slipped a pillow under her head and moved his arm under his own, not wanting her to get uncomfortable. "Why am I so tired?" She mumbled after his parents had left, her tone belligerent, making him smile.

"You had another panic attack." He reminded her gently. "It's normal to be tired afterwards. Are you feeling okay? Do you feel sick?"

"My stomach is sick…I feel dizzy." She mumbled, keeping her eyes closed.

"Look at me." He asked softly, touching his fingertips to her face as she did so. Checking her pupils, he nodded in relief. They didn't seem dilated, and they focused easily on him. "Do you want something to drink?" He asked softly. She clutched his arm and he smiled. "Do you want Emmett to bring you something to drink?" He amended. He certainly wasn't about to leave her, and Emmett was constantly asking if he could help. For a moment she seemed uncertain, then shook her head. "Maybe later then." He kept his tone light, but he didn't like how little she was eating and drinking, knowing that she had to take in a lot more nutrients than he did. He was fine with feeding three or four times a month, and in comparison she seemed to eat or drink almost constantly.

"Is there something wrong with me?" Her voice was so genuinely worried that he pulled away, cupping her face in his hands.

"No. There is nothing wrong with you. This is pretty normal, actually." He tried for a smile, but it felt forced. "You just need to take it easy for a few days okay? Try and keep calm and rest. We're all here for you whenever you need us." She nodded a bit, resting her head against his chest once again. "Why don't we go back to our room?" He asked softly, sitting up and pulling her with him. "You can watch some TV and drink something."

"Okay." She whispered, still leaning on him tiredly, and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her out of Carlisle's office, shutting off the light on his way, and into their bedroom.

The rest of the day passed slowly for Bella, something she didn't particularly mind. She spent most of it in bed, pressed against Edward's side. It was hours before she was comfortable enough to move away at all, but she was finally able to release his shirt, clasping her hands in her lap as she sat tucked under his shoulder. Occasionally he would lean over and kiss her hair, her cheek…once or twice her lips. His hand remained on her arm, sometimes rubbing up and down and others just holding her close.

After a few more minutes of watching TV, there was a soft knock on the door. "Can we come in?" Edward looked at Bella, waiting for her to answer.

"Of course." Bella said softly. Her throat still hurt a little from crying, and se sniffed every now and then, but the nausea was pretty much gone and she as able to breathe easily. Rosalie appeared in the doorway, a plate in her hand, and Emmett stood a bit behind her, his eyes on Bella.

"I thought you might be hungry….I know I'm not much of a cook, but this seemed easy enough." Looking at the plate, Bella smiled at the mound of spaghetti that smelled amazing, and the slice of perfectly done garlic bread.

"Did you use the food network?" Bella asked with a smile and Rosalie laughed, her bell like voice washing over Bella like Jasper's calm.

"Yes, actually." She placed the plate and napkin in Emmett's lap and Emmett placed a tall glass of ice water on the night stand, then sat on the edge of the bed, reaching over to muss her hair.

"How are you feeling, Bells?" He asked softly.

"Fine." She hesitated for a minute, and then looked up at Edward with a soft blush. "Are those pain pills still in the bag?" She hated asking for pain pills…hated admitting that she was in any kind of pain, but her new family seemed bothered by the fact that she preferred waiting out the pain, and she didn't like upsetting them, so she had vowed to try harder. But she still hated seeing Edward's face twist in sadness at the reminder that she was injured.

"I got it." Emmett said easily, stepping past Rosalie and reaching into a pocket on the side of Bella's bag sitting on the floor. Pulling out the bottle, which seemed tiny in his giant hand, he gave it to her with a grin.

"Thanks Emmett." She mumbled, swallowing the pills as quickly as possible and wishing that she could control the blood that seemed eager to flood her face. Emmett chuckled, as he always did at her embarrassment, and dropped into the chair beside her, grinning when Rosalie sat in his lap.

Emmett seemed to be thinking about asking her something, but Edward shook his head subtly, so she let it go. She didn't want that feeling again…panic and terror and pain….if avoiding certain topics kept that from happening, then she would gladly do so. Instead, she turned her attention to her food and the TV, grateful when Edward placed a cold hand over the bandages on her shoulder, easing the slight pain there. Having Emmett and Rosalie in the room was more of a comfort than she could have guessed. Emmett had already proven that he would gladly kill anything that threatened her, but having Rosalie between herself and the door was just as comforting. The blonde wasn't large or well muscled like her husband, but she was fierce, and felt strongly about her family. She'd made it quite clear that Bella was her family now, even if they weren't always friends, and Bella couldn't imagine anyone stupid enough to mess with the beautiful blonde when she was angry.

Alice and Jasper joined them after a little while, all of them once again crowded into the room she shared with Edward, and Bella was content to sit once again with her love and her brothers and sisters, mindless watching a sitcom on TV while Emmett and Jasper gave commentary and Alice made shopping plans that she would probably get dragged in to.


	12. Chapter 12

Jasper leaned back against the chair he'd brought up from the living room, Alice in his lap. Emmett sat in the other chair, Rosalie in his lap as she rested her head against his shoulder, his hands trailing up and down her side. Occasionally one of them would glance at Bella, their eyes anxious and protective, as though waiting for her to fall apart in front of their eyes. Once or twice during the evening she had excused herself to use the bathroom, but apart from that, she had been at Edward's side, her eyes focused on the TV, although he had the feeling she wasn't really watching it. Alice was seated on his lap, her posture mimicking Rosalie's, and she hooked an arm behind his head, gently playing with the hair at the base of his neck. He grinned down at her, meeting her eyes with his own, and kissed her briefly. They weren't as demonstrative in public as Rosalie and Emmett, but he found moments like this just as satisfying as Emmett and Rosalie found their own.

Forcing his thoughts back to the task at hand, he sampled the room, taking in the emotions. Alice was content to be with him, her eyes traveling to Bella occasionally but never really worrying. Of course there was anger there…it was in everyone at the moment. But mostly she was ready…ready to defend her sister or ready to take Bella to safety. Edward…he worried about Edward. His brother was murderously angry. As he gently held Bella against his side, his hand rubbing up and down her arm as she started to drift off, every movement was careful…contained, more so than usual. They were all careful around her, hyper aware of how easily they could do her serious harm without meaning to. But this was different. Edward wanted to kill someone…a particular someone in fact. He felt for Edward...the girl he loved more than anything was being threatened, but he was angry as well. He hoped that Edward wouldn't loose control and go against Carlisle's orders. Emmett…well Emmett was happy to have his mate on the same page as he was and on his lap. But his emotions were colored with anger and irritation, as were Rosalie's.

Bella was another story. Her emotions were moving around chaotically in a way that bothered him, something he silently shared with Edward. She would be fine for a while, calm and content, even happy to spend time with them, and then she would be terrified or in pain again, her heartbeat quickening until Jasper quickly buried her in calm, making sure it never got further than that. Her body fell limp against Edward the first time, and Edward stared at her in alarm, causing Jasper to frown apologetically and ease up, lessening the strength of the emotions. After a few tries, he got it right, managing to calm her just enough to keep her for panicking.

He glanced up when he felt her mood shift again, and found that her eyes had closed, her breathing deepening. Her emotions were the calm of sleep and Emmett leaned over with a grin, pulling the remote from her hand and turning down the volume until only they could hear it. Edward glanced at him, his eyes questioning.

"She's fine. She just fell asleep…it's late so she'll probably sleep through the night." He informed all of them. Rosalie and Emmett stood silently, nodding to Edward, then slipped out of the room. Alice followed suit, reaching out at the last minute to muss Edward's hair, then stood on the other side of the bed, kissing Bella's cheek, before she left as well. Jasper hesitated for a minute, then stood and turned to Edward. "I'll be in my room. I'll keep an eye on her, but if you need me, just call." He said seriously, conveying with both his words and thoughts that he would be there in less than a heartbeat if Bella needed him. Edward gave him a grateful smile and carefully moved to sit up. Jasper moved over to the other side of the bed and slipped a pillow under her head, helping Edward to lay her down. With a gentle kiss to her forehead, he was gone as well.

Alice stared at the meat frying in the pan on top of the stove, her expression far away. Rosalie leaned against the counter behind her, keeping an eye on the eggs absentmindedly, her real focus on the hushed conversation Emmett and Jasper were having. It sounded like they wanted to stay behind today, which was strange, because her husband was always willing to spend the day with Bella…Jasper too. Which made her think that they were still planning on killing the guy…and she wanted in. Immediately she dismissed the idea. Carlisle had said no. That was the end of the discussion. Sniffing suddenly, she glared at Alice, elbowing her sister out of the way.

"Alice! You're letting the food burn." She snapped, grabbing the pan from the stove. "Can you please pay attention to the present for five minutes?" Alice glared, elbowing Rosalie back and pulling the pan of eggs off the stovetop and turning down the heat. The stress was making everyone a bit irritable, and Alice and Rosalie rarely tried spending 'quality time' together if it didn't involve a fashion project, mostly because the girls 'squabbled like cats' as Carlisle said once after ordering both girls to their rooms in a rare display of temper. Even their mates had stayed out of it, backing off and slipping away to play chess far, far away. Then again...they had nearly ripped apart the living room...

"I was trying to see when Phil and Renee are going to get here…they're going to be at Charlie's soon…"

"I thought you said they wouldn't arrive until this evening." Rosalie accused, narrowing her eyes.

"Their plane was ahead of schedule," Alice snapped. "and Renee made Phil ask for directions to the town…" Her tone turned serious. "They're probably going to be here in less than two hours."

"What are you girls doing?" Rosalie turned with a half smile for Esme, who appeared in the doorway, Carlisle on her heels, and began spooning the eggs onto a plate, their irritation with one another neatly forgotten.

"Fixing breakfast." Alice told them, spearing a piece of the only slightly over done meat and putting it on the same plate. Carlisle and Esme glanced at each other, then at their daughters with smirks. They'd obviously heard their fighting a second ago, and Alice hurried to distract them. "They're going to be here sooner than we though…probably in less than two hours."

"It's only nine a.m." Esme said with a small frown…

"Yea…they're ahead of schedule." Alice mumbled irritably, handing the plate to Rosalie who snatched it with a bit too much force and stepped past their parents to take Bella her breakfast. Sighing, Alice stepped over to Esme, leaning her head against her mother's shoulder. "Rose and I will take Bella." She said simply, glancing up at Carlisle.

"Take her where?" Carlisle wanted to know.

"Shopping." He gave her a warning look and she grinned, tip-toeing to kiss his cheek. "I know, I know. Honestly, Dad." She teased with a laugh, and his lips twitched involuntarily "There's a huge bookstore in the city. Bella's going to love it."

Rosalie paused outside the door, hearing Bella's deep, even breathes. 'Can I come in Edward?' She asked silently.

"Yea…she's still asleep." He spoke so quietly that Bella couldn't have heard even if she was awake.

"I got her breakfast...did you hear?"

"About Phil and Renee?" He asked dryly. She nodded and sat the plate on the nightstand. Sitting in the chair they had kept in Edward and Bella's room for a few days now, she looked at Bella's sleeping face.

"Alice and I are taking her out. Are you coming?"

"Emmett and Jasper?"

"They want to stay here. And you do too, I'm sure…" He looked down at Bella, his eyes conflicted. "She'll be safe with us." She told him softly, reaching out to touch her brother's hand in reassurance for the first time in years. "I swear it, Edward. He looked up, his eyes softening as he grinned at her. "Make up your mind before we have to leave." She said simply, standing and pulling away. "And wake her up. She needs to get ready soon."

Edward gave his sister a fond smile as she left, shutting the door behind her, then turned his attention back to Bella who lay curled on her side facing the door. Placing a hand on her warm side, he carefully curled his body around her, taking a deep breath of her scent, his nose in her hair. Pressing his lips against the back of her head, her wrapped an arm around her, cupping her cheek, and leaning on his elbow, brought his face up to hover over hers while she stirred. "Bella?" She mumbled incoherently, rolling over and hiding her face in his chest. He chuckled softly, tightening his hold on her. "Bella, wake up love." He whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Mh? Time is it?" She muttered.

"About nine."

"'s early." She seemed to relax again, apparently happy to go back to sleep, and he would have let her. She rarely slept past nine, even if she was tired, but he had to get her up.

"Alice and Rosalie made you breakfast…eggs and…" He sniffed and glanced over at the food. "Sausage. Toast too…aren't you hungry?"

"Later." She begged, burrowing back under the covers. Sighing, he shook her gently.

"Sorry Bella. You have to get up now." She opened one eye and frowned at him.

"Why?" She asked, both petulant and suspicious.

"Because…you are going out with Alice and Rose today." Her frown deepened and she opened her other eye, staring up at him.

"What? I thought you and I…wait, I thought that wasn't until later?"

"Alice was wrong." He informed her gently. "They'll be here soon." Immediately she shot upright, and Edward had to move back to keep her from cracking her head on his. "Easy, Bella. You've got time. Why don't you eat, and then take a shower? Okay? You're okay." She looked over at the food and winced subtly, and his worry returned. "Do you feel sick?"

"Fine." She insisted, grabbing the plate and placing a forkful of eggs into her mouth, chewing mechanically. Mentally he made a note to talk to Carlisle about her lack of appetite once this was over. As if responding to his thoughts, Bella abruptly dropped her fork and jumped up, putting the plate back on the nightstand, and running into the attached bathroom and falling to her knees in front of the toilet, throwing up what little she had eaten. Before he'd even realized he was moving, he was behind her, one hand holding her hair at her neck and the other against her forehead, cooling her flushed face.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, holding her up when she would have collapsed against the toilet.

"Fine." She mumbled. "Don't tell Alice or Rosalie…don't want to hurt their feelings."

"Shh, don't worry about that. They'll understand." He promised. And he knew they did…he could hear their thoughts from the bathroom, and both were moving beyond worried, as was Carlisle, who was desperately hoping that this was just normal nausea caused by stress and panic attacks. Edward was relieved when his father promised to give her a full check up as soon as they disposed of…Edward grinned when his father quickly tried to cover his mental slip…saw Renee and Phil off. Shifting on the tiled floor, Edward easily caught Bella when she fell back against him, her face pressed against his shoulder as he stroked her head. "Do you have a fever?" He asked softly, his eyes worried. It wouldn't surprise him if, after everything that had happened, she would catch a cold. After all, it was her unlucky week.

"Don't know." She mumbled. He stood carefully, lifting her in his arms and moving her to the bed, then raced to get her a cup of water. "Thanks." She mumbled, taking a long drink, then grimacing as she clutched her stomach. Shaking his head, he turned toward the door.

"Carlisle?" He asked softly. The doctor appeared at the door, meeting his worried look, and then moving into the room where Bella lay, her hand curled around her stomach. "She can barely keep water down." He murmured, and Carlisle stepped forward, touching her forehead and smiling a little when she jumped in surprise, her eyes flying open.

"Hey, sweetheart. Where does it hurt?" He asked quietly, kneeling beside her and cupping her cheek, meeting her pained eyes with his own gentle ones.

"Stomach. Sick." She mumbled, biting her lip. Carefully, he placed his hand on her stomach, closing his eyes and listening carefully. Edward moved to sit beside Bella, slipping her head on his lap and focusing on her breathing. Carlisle was debating the merits of different anti nausea medicine or just having her stay home to recover, and was leaning toward the latter. Before he could finish, her body tensed and she moved one hand over her mouth, gagging. Shaking his head, Carlisle stood while Edward half carried her to the bathroom, letting her stomach purge itself, and then helped her back to bed.

'She's going to get dehydrated…I'm going to give her something before it gets serious.' Edward nodded at his father's silent statement, helping Bella lay back on the pillows.

"Carlisle is going to bring you something for your stomach, okay?" Nodding weakly, she lay her head against him, her forehead resting on his leg. "Here he is…." He sighed when he saw it was a needle. She hated them…he knew that well enough. And he hated that he had to force her to accept something that scared her, but at the moment, he just wanted her to be okay.

"Bella, I'm going to give you some medicine, alright?" Carlisle's voice was the one he used when speaking to patients…sort of. Edward sometimes heard him speak like this to the smallest children who were afraid, but with less affection than he was showing Bella. "I know you don't like needles sweetheart. But I'll be quick." He promised. Edward sighed softly when he realized that both of her arms were tucked tightly against her body, and she was tensing away from Carlisle, her eyes wide and fearful. To his credit, Carlisle's gentle expression didn't waver…nor did his thoughts. Taking one hand gently, Carlisle cupped his hand around hers, rubbing a thumb over the back of her hand until she started to relax, taking a few moments to promise that everything was going to be okay.

"Jasper? Can you calm her down a little?" Edward hated to continuously ask this of his brother…to ask the younger vampire to feel the full force of her emotions and calm her, but Jasper had been hovering in the hallway, desperate to help, and his desire was genuine. Bella sighed softly, her irritation at being manipulated by Jasper apparent even under the calm, and Carlisle chuckled as he quickly swiped her arm with an alcohol swab and then carefully, and with an almost perfect technique, inserted the needle into her arm, pressing the plunger and filling her vein with the anti-nausea medicine.

"There you go. All done." Leaning over her, he kissed her forehead and took her hand. "Just lie still for a few minutes, and you should feel fine." 'Keep an eye on her for an hour or so…have one of the girls go with her into the bathroom when she takes a shower. I'm not worried, but if there are any side effects, someone should be near by.' Edward smiled in gratitude and nodded to his father who slipped out of the room, needle in hand, and waved for Jasper to join them, grinning when his brother immediately knelt at Bella's side and placed a hand on her shoulder, flooding her system with peace and contentment.

Bella felt the awful nausea subside slowly. She would start to uncurl her body, freezing when the pain came back despite the fact that Jasper was quietly managing her emotions, and then curl back into a ball at Edward's side. Finally, though, the pain and sickness ebbed away entirely, and stayed away when she started to move. Opening her eyes, she was surprised for find Jasper so close. He chuckled, his deep voice saturating the room, when she jumped. "Better?" He asked. She nodded, stretching her legs out a little, and then looking up at Edward who smiled as well.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked quietly, running a hand down her face and feeling her forehead. Bella sat up with a smile and wrapped her arms around him, barely noticing when Jasper left, and the waves of peace and contentment from Jasper were nothing compared to when Edward kissed her softly.

"I'm fine." She promised, leaning her forehead against his.

"Are you hungry?" He asked carefully, and she grimaced.

"No…I don't want to push it. Can I go take a shower?" He kissed the tip of her nose, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

"Of course." He mumbled, but kissed her again, and all thoughts apart from him were torn from her mind until he pulled away, chuckling. "You'd better jump in the shower." He said ruefully, standing and putting a little distance between them. "Alice." His conversational tone of voice while saying his sister's name surprised Bella, but turning around she realized that the girl was in the doorway.

"Ready for a shower?" The short girl asked, and Bella cocked her head.

"Um…yes…but I don't need any help." Alice shook her head.

"Carlisle just wants to make sure you don't have any side effects from the medicine. He asked me to stay with you as a precaution." Bella shrugged, wincing when he shoulder quietly reminded her that it was still sore, then grabbed an outfit from the closet, underwear from the dresser, and headed for the bathroom, Alice on her heels.

"So what are we doing today?" Bella asked as she stepped under the steaming hot water, her eyes closed in bliss as the hot water ran down her face.

"Shopping." Bella could hear the smile in Alice's voice and groaned. "Oh come on, you'll love it. I promise." Bella lathered her hair, closing her eyes as she rinsed off under the steady stream coming form the faucet. "We're going to Olympia…they have a pretty big mall." Bella groaned again and Alice laughed. "But I was actually thinking of stopping by the bookstore next door." Bella poked her head around the curtain, eager eyes trained on Alice's face to see if she was kidding. Alice leaned back across the counter and grinned, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"You're serious?"

"Yea. I mean, it'd be nice to stop by the mall first…but we can probably spend a few hours at the bookstore." Bella grinned, her eyes bright and excited. She still had money in her bank account from her job at Newtons (Carlisle, Edward, and Esme kept trying to convince her to take one of Carlisle's apparently abundant credit cards, and insisted on buying her things, but she preferred to use her own money) and wanted to buy herself some new books. Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle had, between the three of them, an impressive collection, but most were medical texts, history books, or biographies. There were very few modern novels in the house, and even fewer modern novels that Bella wanted to read. Since the Forks library was barely a library, Bella didn't get to do much reading. So the thought of going to a real bookstore was exhilarating.

When she was finished with her shower, Bella dressed quickly and wrapped her hair in a towel, smiling at Alice in excitement. "Wait…isn't Edward coming?" She asked, remembering that he'd said that she would be going with Alice and Rosalie.

"No…he's staying with the others." She said carefully. "Is that okay?"

Bella realized that everyone was probably trying not to upset her and she smiled a bit, feeling guilty. "Of course…I just wasn't sure." She shrugged. It would be silly to be afraid, she told herself. 'After all, Alice and Rosalie are vampires too…they're just as able to protect me.' Drying her hair and then running a brush through it, Bella followed Alice back into the bedroom where Edward still sat, apparently anxiously awaiting her return. Bella glanced at the food on the nightstand, then decided against it again. She certainly didn't want to be sick again this morning.

The three of them headed downstairs where the rest of the family was waiting, Carlisle and Esme on the sofa, Jasper and Emmett on another, their eyes absently following the characters on the television screen, and Rosalie standing in the doorway, a glass of water in her hand that she held out to Bella.

"Thanks." She mumbled, looking down shyly. 'I shouldn't be embarrassed.' She scolded herself. 'It wasn't my fault.' But after having several panic attacks and being so sick this morning, they're probably thinking that I'm weaker than normal.' She thought sadly, her eyes burning holes into the carpet as she sipped the water. Suddenly she felt someone's gaze on her, along with a subtle lessening of her embarrassment, and she looked up into the eyes of Jasper, who seemed to be both scolding and soothing her. Then there was a wave of affection so strong that she almost gasped, and realized that Jasper was projecting his emotions onto her. He looked pointedly at Emmett, then at Carlisle and Esme, and she understood that this was how they all felt about her. Smiling openly now, she nodded slightly at Jasper, soaking in the warmth of their love for her for a moment while Edward kept an arm around her, his lips against her temple. She didn't need Jasper to show her how much Edward loved her. It was obvious.

Everyone else suddenly stiffened and although she couldn't hear anything, she knew that Renee and Phil were close. She wanted to ask when they were going to leave, but everyone was standing, the curtain moved aside, and although she couldn't see their faces, she knew that everyone was angry by the soft hisses and growls that were as common to her now as their laughter. Finally she watched the car pull into the driveway. They sat in the car for a full minute until the passenger door opened, but before she could see who was driving, Carlisle shut the curtain and turned to her. "What time do you think you'll be home?" He asked Alice pleasantly, as though this were an ordinary day (not that Carlisle really kept tabs on them from day to day…but he certainly sounded like a normal father when he asked that). Her eyes calmed and she smiled easily, matching his casual tone. Rosalie came to stand beside her after kissing Emmett goodbye and whispering something in his ear that Bella couldn't catch.

"Probably three or four…I'll call." She reached on her tiptoes and pecked his cheek, then did the same for Esme, saving Jasper, who she kissed softly on the lips, for last. Edward pulled Bella into his arms and kissed her, more passionately than Alice but less than Rosalie, one hand cupping the back of her head, the other her back.

"I love you." He said softly, resting his forehead against hers. Despite everyone in the room, Bella felt as though they were completely alone. "Have fun today, and don't worry about anything." He released her to Esme who wrapped her in her arms.

"I love you sweetheart. Have a good time." Carlisle was next, his lips cold on her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace that made her feel as though nothing could ever hurt her.

"Be careful." He cautioned her with a teasing smile. "Try not to hurt yourself." Rolling her eyes, she grinned at his teasing. "And tell Alice or Rosalie if you start feeling badly, okay?" She agreed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hide it regardless. Then Emmett and Jasper both pulled her into hugs, Emmett's exuberant, Jasper's gentle and deliberate, and then Alice and Rosalie were leading her out the door that connected to the garage. As Bella climbed into the passenger seat of Rosalie's red BMW, she heard Carlisle's soft voice and then her mother's.


	13. Chapter 13

Phil took a deep breath and opened his car door, stepping out of the vehicle slowly. Beside him, Renee did the same, her eyes glued to the beautiful home as well. The house was huge, with a giant porch that wrapped around the front and large windows covered by curtains. Slamming the car door behind him, Phil began to make his way to the house, reaching out automatically to take her hand as they united in front of the car and dropping the keys in his jacket pocket. There was silence for miles as he made he way up the stairs and paused in front of the door. Taking a deep breath, reassuring himself that everything was fine, he rapped his knuckles against the door, glancing back at an anxious Renee and giving her a kind smile. He knew she worried about Bella, and he wanted to get all of this cleared up.

The door opened and he was surprised to find himself face to face with a serene looking man, about a head taller than Renee and only a little taller than himself, with blonde hair and surprisingly pale skin. The man's face was friendly…open, as if welcoming an old friend into his home. Behind him was a beautiful woman, her dark brown hair curving to her shoulders. "Welcome." The man said softly, waving a hand as he stood back, inviting them in. "I'm Carlisle, Edward's father. This is my wife Esme." She smiled sweetly, but there was something off….the warmth didn't quite reach their eyes.

Beside him, Renee turned a delicate pink. "Ah…Esme. I, um….I am sorry….about the phone call….I was just…" Esme seemed to soften a bit, but her eyes were still cool.

"Please don't worry about that. We do need to talk, though. And face to face is much better than over the phone, don't you think?" Phil had no idea why he was interpreting that as a threat.

"Is Bella here?" He asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest and trying to take charge of the conversation. Carlisle stood in front of him, and Phil could have sworn that the light, honey colored eyes darkened a bit. Instantly feeling small, he shrank back.

"No." Renee stiffened in surprise. "She went out with the girls today. Alice and Rosalie took her shopping."

"Shopping?" Renee's voice was no longer upset, but incredulous. "Bella's gone shopping? Voluntarily?" The corner of Esme's mouth turned up and Carlisle turned to smile at the woman.

"For books, Alice told me. Apparently Bella's always had an aversion to shopping for clothes?" Renee laughed, and Phil wondered how the woman could be so at ease when he was feeling more and more tense.

"Oh yes! Well…I certainly couldn't do much to encourage it…a single mother raising a daughter on a teacher's salary…well we didn't get to do much shopping. But I always kind of hoped that when she became a teenager….well, she loves her books, so that was something we could do together." Phil watched in surprise when both Carlisle and Renee seemed to soften, their eyes thawing.

"Please, come into the living room and sit down." Carlisle invited, stepping back and gesturing for them to follow. "Would you like anything to drink?" His manners were flawless, Phil had to give him that.

'Obviously they're nice people…Bella's just been fishing for attention and they bought it.' He thought, starting to feel a little pity for the friendly doctor and his wife. 'I'm sure that if I explain, then they will be reasonable.' He had to admit, he wanted Bella caught in this lie. It was a terrible thing to put on her mother, and all for a little attention. Shaking his head sadly, he followed his wife and Esme into the living room, followed by Carlisle.

If the outside of the house had impressed him, he was speechless when he entered the living room. The room was huge, with enough furniture to make it look comfortable but not crowded, and the vaulted ceilings and the back wall that was made entirely of glass made it look even bigger and lighter. Looking through the glass he could see a stream and a forest, and wondered how much land they owned.

"These are our sons." Carlisle's words brought him back to the conversation and he realized that he vaguely recalled more kids besides Edward, Bella's boyfriend. Honestly he'd been too worried about Bella and Renee to really pay any attention when he'd briefly met the family at the hospital. Dr. Cullen had spoken to his Renee about Bella's condition, but's he'd mostly tuned out, focusing instead on comforting his distraught wife. Now, looking at the three teenagers, he wondered how he hadn't paid more attention before. They were all built like athletes, with faces most supermodels would kill for. The boy with the bronze hair he recognized as Bella's boyfriend, Edward, nodding as they reintroduced him. "And this is Emmett, and Jasper." Carlisle gestured to both boys, and each nodded hello.

Emmett. Phil remembered that name. 'He's downright scary when he's mad.' Phil suddenly had no trouble believing Charlie's words. The boy was taller than both the others, with broad shoulders, heavily muscled arms, and a thick build. The boy grinned at him when he caught him looking, and Phil wondered how the kid made such a friendly expression look so threatening…like a cat about to play with the mouse.

Jasper, on the other hand, was lean, with long blonde hair that hung to his chin. He wasn't as well muscled as his brother, but Phil had a strange feeling that he was just as dangerous. It was his eyes, though, that made him uneasy. "It's nice to meet you." Phil stiffened at the quiet words. He'd heard that voice before. 'You ever call my little sister again, I'll come and find you. Do you understand me?' The words had made him shudder, and though he'd never admit it, he wasn't anxious to finally meet this 'big brother' of Bella's.

"Please, have a seat." Carlisle gestured to one of the sofas, and Phil took Renee's hand as they sat, politely refusing his offer to get them something to drink, and watched as the three teenagers sat on the adjacent sofa and Carlisle and Esme sat across from them on a loveseat.

"Look, there's obviously been some kind of misunderstanding." Phil launched into his speech before anyone else could offer him a beverage or start a friendly conversation about his step-daughter. "Apparently Bella has…claimed that something pretty serious happened to her…"

"Claimed?" Phil glanced up when Edward interrupted and for a second considered taking it all back. The teenager was staring at him incredulously, leaning forward in his seat, while Jasper was still sitting back languidly, one leg tucked under the other, watching him with sharp eyes. Emmett was still grinning, but his eyes were cold.

Clearing his throat, Phil nodded and looked back at Carlisle, trying to ignore the disapproving look on the doctor's face. "Honestly, there's no proof that this actually happened." He said quietly, trying to appeal to the logical side that a doctor would surely have. "She never told her mother anything about it."

"Phil." He ignored Renee's soft protest.

"Why wouldn't she tell her mother if those men were doing what she said they were? Renee told me about Jeremy…she said he was a decent guy, worked at an office. Not exactly the pedophile type." He noticed Edward wince slightly, his white teeth biting into his lip as he leaned back, while Jasper stared at him intently and he was suddenly terrified. Beyond terrified….he wanted to leave. He started to stand but suddenly the feeling was gone and Jasper was smirking, ignoring his father's pointed look.

"Mr. Dwyer…"

"Phil." He corrected, hoping some familiarity would help his case. The doctor didn't seem to notice he'd spoken.

"Bella did tell her mother." The doctor stared at Renee and the woman sighed.

"She told me that she didn't like Jeremy…I think she said he scared her. She thought he was watching her. I thought…she was thirteen, and I'd never really dated anyone seriously. I thought she was jealous of him." Phil frowned at the doctor.

"And she never said anything else about it." He told the doctor and his wife.

"Why would she? You sure didn't give her any reason to trust you!" Emmett literally snarled at her, his grin disappearing for the first time, and Phil scooted back in his seat. Carlisle glanced over at Emmett and the boy sulked, crossing his arms and glaring at Phil and Renee as he leaned back once again against the sofa.

"Renee, does Bella have any history with panic attacks?" Esme asked, breaking the tension in the room.

"No…well…not that I know of. I don't really know. Why?"

"You don't know?" Carlisle's voice was flat. "I'm sure you would have noticed. She would be unable to breathe, hysterical…probably crying."

"Well, she never had one around me. But she had so many babysitters when she was little…I worked all day and I couldn't leave her alone. But some of the teenage girls in the neighborhood would watch her…or one of my neighbors. They never said anything…"

"Were they qualified?" Carlisle asked, his voice very soft. Phil frowned, wondering when he was going with this.

"What? They were babysitters! They fed her and gave her a place to stay while I was at work…or when she got home from school."

"Were they certified in CPR or have any kind of experience in childcare?" Carlisle clarified, leaning forward and resting this elbows on his knees.

"Well…I'm sure they were. They never had any trouble with her! She was quiet…" Phil sighed and leaned forward in his seat.

"What does this have to do with anything?" He snapped, and suddenly the doctor was frightening again, but it was Edward who spoke up.

"Bella's been having panic attacks for the last couple of days." He informed them shortly. "Carlisle wanted to know if she had any history of this not listed in her medical file."

"There's actually very little in her medical file." Carlisle cut in smoothly. "Other than school vaccinations and a severe case of strep throat when she was ten." Phil lifted an eyebrow.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Once again, Carlisle ignored him.

"Renee, did you take Bella to the doctor when she was sick?"

"Of course…I mean, I couldn't take her every time she caught a cold…it's so expensive. And our insurance wasn't great…but I wouldn't let her get seriously ill without having her seen by a doctor!" Renee cried.

"Did she ever show any signs of a panic disorder that you didn't have checked? Difficulty breathing, nausea, loss of appetite, or anxiety?"

"No…I don't think so…" Carlisle looked incredulous and Phil cut in once again, angry on Renee's behalf.

"Hey! Who do you think you are?" Carlisle stared at him, one eyebrow arched. "Renee was a single mother, and Bella was a quiet child…. heck, she still is! That isn't Renee's fault! She is a good mother. She'd do anything for Bella! Just because she couldn't be with her 24/7…"

"A good mother would notice if her daughter had a panic attack!" Emmett snapped, jumping to his feet and leaning over them. "A good mother would believe her daughter when she said that some guy was scaring her! And a good mother would have kicked him out of her f***ing house!"

"Language, Emmett!" Esme snapped, and Emmett mumbled an apology, but continued glaring down at Phil. Edward's fists were clenched and Jasper had a hand on his arm, apparently holding him in place.

Carlisle took a deep breath, apparently trying to keep calm, but his eyes betrayed him. "Renee, this is important." He told her, speaking slowly as though to a child, and Emmett moved to the side, still on his feet, towering over Phil. "Does Bella have any medical conditions that are not listed in her file?" Renee sighed, shaking her head.

"Not that I know of, no." Phil crossed his arms, leaning back against the back of the sofa and glaring at the doctor.

"Alright. Thank you. That's all I needed to ask." Carlisle nodded and made as if to stand.

"Now you wait a minute!" Phil snapped. "When is Bella getting home? We came down here to see her! And to talk about this…issue she seems to have about her mother's boyfriends. We need to talk to her!"

"No." Carlisle's voice was suddenly fierce, and he stood fluidly. "The only reason I invited you into my home was to talk about Bella's medical history with her mother, and it would have been rude and troublesome to leave you on the porch. Bella has already talked with us about what happened when she was thirteen, and I've heard all I need to hear about it. And after that phone call, you will certainly not be speaking to her."

"Phone call?" Renee looked over at Phil in surprise. "You talked to Bella?"

"He accused Bella of being a liar and tried to make her feel guilty by saying that she was hurting you." The southern drawl was harsh. "And he made her have another panic attack." Renee stared at him in shock, her mouth hanging open.

"Phil! You…why would you…"

"Forgive me, but that's something you can discuss on your way home." Carlisle crossed his arms, staring down at them coldly. "Frankly, after all the pain you've caused my daughter, I don't want you in my home."

"She is not…" A shockingly cold hand was suddenly grasping his shoulder, pulling him to his feet and steering him toward the door, Renee following behind him. Glancing over, he flinched when he realized it was Emmett.

"If I were you, I'd just stop right there." The giant grinned again as he steered him out the door and blocked the doorway.

"Wait! Can I talk to her?" Renee asked softly, staring up at Emmett, and Phil was surprised when the teen softened.

"Give her a few days. She's still not feeling very well…and she doesn't want to talk about what happened. You'll have to talk to Carlisle again, but he'll probably let you talk to her if you're nice about it…and if she wants to." He turned back to Phil and his eyes tightened. "Not you. You ever try and contact her again…"

"You'll come find me?" Phil rolled his eyes, trying to hide his fear, but Emmett smirked, his eyes alight with mischief, and showed them two gleaming rows of impossibly white teeth.

"Yea…something like that." With that, the front door slammed was slammed in their faces.


	14. Chapter 14

Emmett sat on the sofa with Jasper and Edward as Carlisle and Esme went to the front door. All three sat stiffly, their natural response to stress or anxiety. And he was stressed and anxious, but beyond that, he was furious. He couldn't read the guy's mind or emotions, and he hadn't heard for himself what he'd said abut Bella, but he trusted his brothers' account of events and knew that this guy was a threat to his sister. That was all he needed to know. Emmett didn't think of himself as a murderer. He'd killed humans, sure. He was a vampire. It happened. It was always accidental and he regretted it afterwards, though maybe not as much as he maybe should. But hey, life was too short for wallowing in regrets…well his wasn't, but that was besides the point.

At the moment though, he could see himself committing a murder. It would be so easy…almost too easy. The guy would walk in with Renee, the only witness. Of course he'd let her live…he wouldn't take Bella's mother from her, unless she asked it of him. He'd do anything she asked. But there were no humans around, besides her. And he didn't care if it traumatized her…he could live with that. He would let the guy see him coming, let him know that he had threatened a member of a vampire's family. He would bare his teeth and snarl, grinning the whole time, hold the man down while he sank his teeth into his neck, let him suffer.

Edward elbowed him hard in the side, and he turned to find the kid's face twisted in a grimace. "I'm not going to do it." He whined, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Carlisle would be upset. He wouldn't allow it. And what about Renee?"

"She'll never mess with Bella again." Emmett said simply. "She'll just be grateful that I let her live." Jasper gave him a sharp look and Emmett sighed. "I wasn't going to do it!" He snapped at his brothers once again. "If you don't like what you hear, stop listening."

"You know I can't." Edward snapped back. Jasper rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch, ignoring their argument, and Edward was surprised to find his thoughts focused on Alice and Bella rather than on Phil or Renee. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised…Jasper had become quite attached to Bella.

Phil and Renee followed Carlisle and Esme into the room, and Edward tuned back in. Jasper smirked and Edward almost laughed aloud at the growing anxiety he was shoving at Phil. Emmett caught on and grinned, eyeing Phil with amusement. The couple missed Carlisle's reproving look, but the three younger vampires made a concentrated effort to look polite. Phil was looking between the three of them in trepidation, while Renee stole glances at him. Finally he met her eyes and focused on her thoughts.

'I do wonder how Bella got someone like Edward…I mean she's sweet and pretty…but honestly. He's like a supermodel…and he's so devoted to her.' Edward suppressed a growl at the woman's assessment of Bella, as if 'sweet' and 'pretty' were even close. Jasper read his irritation and glanced at him questioningly after greeting Phil and hoping that the man would recognize his voice. It worked; now Phil was terrified and Jasper was happy, but Edward felt himself growing to dislike Bella's mother even more. She obviously had a distorted perception of her daughter, and he wondered if they were seeing the same person. Somehow the woman managed to skip over all of Bella's best qualities and focus only on the negative. Forcing himself to hold his tongue, he slipped into Phil's head, but it wasn't much better. The man was obviously afraid of Emmett and Jasper though, so that was a plus, but he was apparently taking pity on Carlisle and Esme, believing that Bella had lied to them.

"Look, there's obviously been some kind of misunderstanding. Apparently Bella has…claimed that something pretty serious happened to her…"

"Claimed?" Edward couldn't help himself, even though he heard Carlisle's rebuking thoughts. Their father had only allowed them to stay under the condition that they listened quietly while the 'adults' talked…of course they hadn't forbidden Jasper from making them ill at ease, but Carlisle's was silently regretting that oversight already as Phil leaned away from them, apparently unconscious of his own actions. Leaning back in his seat again, he grimaced when Emmett started up with his violent daydreams once again, giving him a subtle elbow in the ribs.

Suddenly listening to his father's thoughts, he realized that Carlisle had no intention of scolding Renee or even Phil, even if Jasper wanted nothing more. Of course, it had been Jasper who had found her…he shook that thought out of his head; it hurt to even think of her like that, limp in his father's arm, fighting to breathe, her lungs refusing to work for her. No, Carlisle was using this opportunity to question Renee about Bella's past. He probed her thoughts carefully when Carlisle began to ask his questions, ignoring the incredulous thoughts of Emmett and Jasper when they came to the same realization. As much as he wanted these people punished, Bella's health was more important.

Alice glanced out the window longingly. The beautiful mall sprawled across her vision, the beautiful signs resting over giant glass doors, practically begging her to come in. She was in desperate need of some new clothes, and Bella barely had anything to wear. And she needed make up! And shoes…and maybe some new socks…honestly she couldn't imagine Bella not having a good time; there was so much to buy! Besides, Bella never used her shiny new black credit card, and this was a perfect time to do so. Instead, the girl insisted on using her own money to buy whatever she wanted…which was practically nothing. Bella didn't make much working at the sporting goods store, so it didn't really matter, but Alice couldn't understand why Bella hated shopping so much. Glancing over at the girl as she almost lovingly caressed the spine of a novel, Alice rolled her eyes and mentally corrected herself. 'I don't understand why Bella hates normal shopping so much.'

Rosalie glanced up at her human sister and snorted, rolling her eyes, then went back to flipping idly through a sports car magazine. The two vampires were seated in the corner by the window at a small round table. Alice looked back down at her fashion magazine, her eyes skimming over a dress she though would look good on Esme. Quickly memorizing the cut of the fabric, she mentally played around with the color. She hadn't gotten her adopted mother any presents lately…nor her father. Flipping through the magazine, she searched for something he might like. The men in her family tended to accept the clothing she picked out for them with bemused resignation, but Carlisle genuinely loved getting presents from his children, so she kept at it.

Bella, on the other hand, seemed to dread any kind of gift, and Alice had no idea why. She hated having anyone spend money on her, hated getting presents or having any attention on her for any period of time…it was like she was constantly trying not to inconvenience anyone. Alice winced at the though, realizing she was probably spot on. The more she learned about Bella's childhood, the more she thought that her beloved sister had been mostly responsible for herself, never being taken care of or supported by her mother, not emotionally. Alice wondered if Bella had even been allowed to go shopping or just have fun without worrying about money or taking care of her mother.

Shaking the thoughts away, she looked back over at Bella. As soon as they had entered the bookstore, Bella had wondered off absentmindedly, as if drawn to the shelves and shelves of books. Rosalie and Alice had started to follow, but decided to watch her from a nearby table, subtly keeping an eye on the ridiculously accident-prone girl while giving her space to enjoy herself. With Bella's luck, the building would catch fire and Alice and Rosalie would have to drag her out of the carnage any time now.

But she looked happy, Alice realized. Happier than she had in a while, anyway. Checking the time, Alice realized that an hour had passed. Although Bella had eaten the previous night, she'd been unable to keep anything down this morning, and Alice worried. She knew that humans had to eat several times a day and drink more than that, so she had picked a store that was surrounded by restaurants. She decided that she'd give Bella another hour or so and then ask if the girl wanted to eat.

"Have you heard from anyone?" Rosalie asked quietly. Alice glanced back over at her sister and shook her head.

"No…Jasper hasn't said anything…no one has."

"Do you think they killed him?"

Alice thought for a moment. "No…Carlisle was serious when he said he wouldn't. I think Phil and Renee will go back to Charlie's…I've only been watching Bella." She said, almost apologetically. Rosalie nodded, her eyes thoughtful. "Honestly, I don't think Carlisle would hurt him...especially not with Renee around. And I know he won't let Emmett or Jazz or Edward do it."

"Then what are they doing at our house?" Rosalie murmured irritably.

"Carlisle was worried about Bella's medical file. Maybe he wanted to talk to Renee about her medical history." Alice guessed. Frowning, Rosalie rested her chin in her palm, more out of habit than anything.

"Do you think Bella's mom didn't take her to the doctor when she was sick?"

"Maybe…or maybe she just didn't notice." Alice said sadly, her eyes downcast. She hated to think of Bella's childhood…a little girl forced to grow up too quickly. She mourned for her friend, even if she couldn't remember her own childhood. "Bella was the one looking out for Renee." She reminded Rose.

Rosalie clenched her jaw, but before she could respond, Bella wandered closer, one book clasped in her left hand, another open in her right, her eyes skimming the words hungrily. Alice smiled, choking back a laugh when Bella nearly missed the chair, her eyes going wide and her hand opening, dropping the book, to grab the table. Rosalie didn't bother hiding her amusement. Embarrassed, Bella turned back to her book and pointedly ignored Rosalie, her cheeks flushing a dark red and filling the immediate area with a more potent smell of her blood. Flinching a bit, Alice pushed the slight burn to the back of her mind and concentrated on her magazine once more.

"Have you heard from anyone?" Bella asked in a small voice, her eyes intent on Alice who sighed.

"Nope. Not yet." She said cheerfully, even if she had to force her voice to get that way. Bella was quiet for a moment and Alice began to worry. Reaching out gently, she placed her hand on Bella's. "Hey, don't worry. Carlisle and Esme are going to take care of it, okay? You don't have to do anything."

"I should be making…."

"Oh no. Don't you start that, little sister." Alice told her in a teasing voice. "You are making anyone do anything. We're doing this because we love you. Alright? Carlisle and Esme love you, so they're taking care of this…problem. And you're shopping with us because apparently you were in need of new books." Bella was silent for a moment, but smiled softly. "You are also in need of new clothes…" Bella groaned, but it was a good-natured sound. "But because of your unnatural aversion to anything fashion related, apparently we can't fix that today." She sighed, her face melodramatically sad, then looked back down at her book, and Rosalie rolled her eyes, obviously onto her plan. "I was really hoping that you'd want to come to the mall with us…you never let us take you shopping." She lamented, her fingers idly tracing a pattern on the magazine page. "And Carlisle and Esme are so hurt that you never let them buy you anything…you won't even use the credit card they gave you." Glancing up at Bella and trying to make sure she hadn't gone too far, she grinned when she saw the longsuffering look on the girl's face.

"Fine. I'll go shopping with you." She grumbled, rolling her eyes and picking up her books as she stood, ignoring Alice's victorious smile. "Just stop trying to act." She stuck her tongue out at Alice's offended expression and Rosalie snorted, her laughter filling the store and making men from upstairs peer over the railing to stare at the beautiful girls heading toward the checkout.

Alice flitted around the little shop, her eyes alight as she looked through the racks of clothing, pausing only when something that would look good on Bella caught her attention. Bella, on the other hand, stood by the wall, gazing out the window wistfully. "How about this?" Bella had established only one rule for this little trip; she had to approve anything Alice wanted to buy for her. Alice had countered by refusing to tell Bella any of the prices. A tentative compromise was formed, and Rosalie watched in amusement as Alice brought dress after dress to Bella, promising that she would love it, that Edward would love it, that Mike Newton would love it (That got her a dress thrown back in her face), all to no avail.

Now, Alice stood in front of Bella holding what may have been the most casual item in the shop. The sundress was the exact shade of blue that went best with her skin, made of loose, light fabric that slid through Bella's fingers easily. She had no idea when she could ever wear it in rainy, cold Forks, but it was beautiful….she couldn't deny that. Alice's smile slowly bloomed as she realized that Bella loved it, and she stepped back, crossing her arms smugly. "Alice…I'd never have a chance to wear it."

"Wear it around the house."

"But it's probably…"

"If you say expensive I swear I will buy everything in this store and put it all in your closet." She threatened, her eyes darkening. "Do you like it?"

She started to deny it, but met Alice's eyes sheepishly. "Yes." She muttered reluctantly.

"Then you're getting it! Yay! I finally found something. Come on, we need to keep looking." Rosalie laughed at Bella's surprised grimace.

"You should have known she wouldn't stop with just one."

Edward wondered if Phil realized how lucky he was. Carlisle had been quite close to throwing him out…physically and painfully, a few seconds into the conversation. More than once, Jasper had imagined, quite vividly, how nice it would be to drop him out of a window. Emmett was going for the direct approach in his mind, draining him dry in the living room. Even mild mannered Esme was contemplating throwing them out, something unheard of for her.

Renee's husband was determined that Bella was lying, of that he was sure. The man wanted to protect his wife from their suspicions, which he could respect, if the man wasn't trying to hurt Bella. But peering into Renee's mind was the important part, he told himself as he watched Carlisle question her.

"Was she lying?" Edward looked up at Carlisle after Emmett had slammed the door in their faces. Edward sighed, the image from Renee's mind disturbing him.

"Yes…to a degree." All eyes were on him and he tried not to focus on the mental picture. It was Bella, but much younger. At first he had been happy to see it; he'd never seen any image of Bella as a child apart from a video of her from the ballet studio, and he blocked that memory as best as he could. She was young at the time of Renee's memory, her long brown hair pinned back, her small form pressed in a corner. He'd realized then that something was off about this memory. Renee was shouting, words he didn't care to focus on. It was Bella he watched. Her breath was coming in pained, short gasps, the tiny girl fighting to breathe, her face flushed, her lips blue tinged.

"Bella, stop it." Renee's words were clearer now, her anger tined with panic. "Bella, that's enough! Breathe! Bella!" She'd grabbed the girl's arms, shaking her hard, then brought back a hand and slapped her, her hand leaving a red mark on the little girl's cheek. Seeing that, Edward had almost leapt from his seat, disregarding the fact that his was a distant memory.

"I think Bella was eight or nine. Renee was going to leave her for a week. There was something about the girl that watched her…Bella didn't like her…or she was afraid of her. Maybe of another kid there…Renee wasn't sure. She went into hysterics when Renee was going to leave."

"What did Renee do?" Esme wondered softly, her voice pained. Edward didn't want to say, but Carlisle's intense, clinical gaze was on him.

"She hit her. Then she left her crying in her room." Esme gasped softly, but it was Jasper and Emmett who had the most violent reactions, snarling and growling, their eyes dark and furious. "She told the babysitter that Bella was just throwing a fit. Then she left…I don't know what the babysitter did."

"Did it ever happen again?" Carlisle's voice was carefully controlled and Edward was glad that Renee was no longer in the room.

"A few times. Right after she met Phil was the most recent. She doesn't remember what caused it. She told Bella that she was too old to be acting like this…I think she hit her again. Then she left the house."

"Do you think she has a panic disorder?" Esme asked, ignoring the way Emmett jumped up and headed for the door, determined to have a 'chat' with Renee. After a pointed look from Esme, Jasper reluctantly caught his brother's arm and held him in the room, waiting for Carlisle to answer.

"I don't know…I'd like to run some tests on her. I have some sedatives at the house, just in case. I don't know if she'll need anything stronger. It was always set off by her mother?" He asked Edward.

"As far as I know. Maybe she was unable to cope with the responsibility her mother put on her?" He asked. Carlisle frowned thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure…I'd like to talk to her about it. But I need to give her a medical examination first." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They'll be back this evening, and I can check her over. Have you spoken with them?" Edward shook his head then looked Emmett and Jasper who pulled out their phones.

"I'll text Alice." Jasper suggested. Emmett pocketed his phone and dropped back onto the loveseat beside Edward.

'I'm glad you didn't kill her.' Edward glanced up in surprise at Emmett's silent admission. 'I'm sorry…sorry that I ever said you should.'

"You couldn't have known…" Edward murmured, ignoring everyone else in the room.

'I didn't understand how much you loved her….or how you even could…until I met her.' His eyes softened and he grinned at Edward. 'Man, if Alice had tried to tell me how much I would love her…' Edward chuckled at the thought, remembering how vehemently he'd denied his own love for the girl…how he had sworn that he'd run away and never see her again. He remembered that family meeting...the argument with Jasper. He laughed at that, considering Jasper's view on her now. 'Ed, just imagine how Jasper would have reacted.' He chuckled, their minds apparently going to the same place. 'He was all ready to assassinate her…now he'd kill anyone who tried.' Edward's eyes softened as he watched his brother type a message to Alice, chuckling at whatever reply she had given.

"Apparently Bella asked to go shopping and drug Alice and Rosalie to the mall." Emmett and Edward laughed aloud at Alice's version of the story. "I think she even got Bella to buy something." Carlisle grinned, his worry momentarily forgotten. "They're going to take her to eat, and they'll probably come home early."

"How's she doing?" Emmett asked.

"Alice says she okay…a little tired. She's having fun though." Emmett grinned and nodded, glad to hear that she was okay, while Edward worried about the tired part. She hadn't been eating enough lately and it was bound to catch up to her, but he still didn't like it. Resolving to watch her more carefully, he took a moment to grin at Esme who was watching him worriedly. Standing, he moved to sit beside her and kiss her cheek, slinging an arm around her shoulder. He loved his family, more than he though was possible. His mother and father were the best he could have ever hoped for, he adored his sisters, even when Rosalie was being...well, Rosalie, and his brothers were his best friends. His mate, his Bella, made everything complete, and he would be happy to have her back in his arms.

Bella sat in the passenger seat of the car, her head resting against the window. She'd eaten lunch at the mall and was almost uncomfortably full and strangely tired. Then again, she thought, she had suffered through a few panic attacks recently…and those were bound to make her tired. She remembered panicking as a child, screaming and crying…how she'd blacked out once, how tired she had felt when she'd woken up. Looking down at the book on her lap, she reread the back, trying to redirect her thoughts. She never thought about those times, never considered what they might have meant. After all, they never really worried her mother.

Alice and Rosalie were talking too softly for her to hear, but from the occasional word she caught, Bella surmised that Carlisle and Esme had taken care of her mother and Phil. She winced at the thought, desperately hoping that they hadn't hurt Phil. She was sure they wouldn't hurt her mother, but Phil had 'attacked' her, if only verbally, and she knew how Edward, and his brothers, felt about that.

It wasn't long before they were pulling into the driveway, and Edward was at her door before Alice could even stop the car, he was opening her door, unfastening her seatbelt, and pulling her into his arms, his nose against her hair as he inhaled deeply. For several moments she just stood in his arms, her head tucked under his chin, and let him hold her. "Did you have fun?" He asked softly, and she realized that everyone else was inside.

"Yes. I got some books…and Alice bought me a dress, among other things." She tried to work up a grimace but couldn't quite manage it…she did like that dress. Edward chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"I can't wait to see it on you." He placed an arm around her back and began to lead her inside, and Bella started to reach back for her bags only to find that Alice had already carried them in. Rolling her eyes at their ridiculous speed, she rested her head on his shoulder and let him lead her into their house where the rest of their family waited.


	15. Chapter 15

Bella walked through the empty hallway, leaning on Emmett, his cold arm around her. She tried to move quickly, but it was as though she were moving through water…her body seemed to take full minutes to respond to her requests. Emmett urged her on, pulling her along and telling her to hurry. "I'm trying." She mumbled. "Sorry." She fought harder against the strange lethargy that seemed to encase her limbs but it was no use. And Emmett was stopping, spinning them around and holding her behind him. It was strange…she knew what was going to happen. Jackson was talking, his face still twisted in that cruel, taunting smile as he accused her such terrible things. But she could only see the gun and know that this was going to hurt.

Her heart sped up as she turned to run, but she was frozen in place. Looking around, she realized that Emmett was gone. "Emmett?" She called, looking around, trying not to panic and failing. "Emmett!" Her voice was hoarse as though she'd been screaming, and the gun was still pointed at her. "Emmett, please!"

"Bella! I'm right here! Calm down." His gentle voice washed over her, and she could even feel his cold hand on her shoulder, but she was still frozen, and she couldn't see him anywhere.

"No…please don't…" She begged Jackson when he started to pull the trigger. "Please I'm sorry!" Before she could try to run, the sound of the gunshot echoed through the hall, and her entire body jerked, forcing her awake with a harsh gasp.

"Easy Bella. You awake?" That was Emmett. She looked up at him, then found herself with her arms wrapped around his neck, sobs racking her body, her knees on the edge of the bed. Knowing that Edward and Emmett were having a conversation around her, she realized she didn't care and buried her head in his shoulder. Suddenly Jasper's voice joined theirs but she couldn't bear to let Emmett go…he'd left her once…

'No.' She told herself. 'He didn't leave me. That was a dream. Calm down.' Despite her own orders, she clung to Emmett and he let her, moving to sit down and lay her on the bed between himself and Edward who gently rested a hand on her back. She found herself feeling grateful that they were so cold, otherwise she would have been unbearable hot from such close contact.

Edward mumbled something about breathing and Jasper replied, his words too low to make out. Carlisle's voice joined theirs but she stayed glued to Emmett's side, trying unsuccessfully to tell herself that it had just been a silly dream and that she was being ridiculous. But Emmett and Edward weren't telling her that she was being silly…Jasper wasn't calling her emotions ridiculous, and Carlisle wasn't saying that she was weak or pathetic. They all stayed close, calming her with their quiet conversation and Jasper's subtle gift until she drifted back to sleep, her arms still around Emmett's neck.

Edward leaned against the headboard, his mind a thousand miles away. 'Jeremy Jonson. Mark Andrews.' They weren't terribly common names, nor were they particularly rare. This alone didn't give him much to go on, but their faces were now burned into his memory…an advantage of reading minds. He'd managed to grab those bits from Renee during Carlisle's questioning, though in the midst of the serious conversation he hadn't told his brothers. He knew that, between the three of them, they could easily track the two men down and….'and what?' He asked himself. 'Kill them?' Of course, they could somehow keep it from Carlisle, but he didn't like the thought of doing that. 'Still.' He reasoned with himself. 'What if they're hurting other girls? Or maybe they've escalated. I cannot, in good conscious, allow that to continue.' He grinned a little at his justification, but the fact remained that he didn't want to be a killer…he wanted to deserve Bella's love…her trust. He couldn't risk that over two lowlifes. Giving their names and previous addresses to his brothers however…well he couldn't exactly be held responsible for what they did. Right?

"I'm trying." He glanced down at Bella, the mumbling taking him by surprise. "Sorry."

"Trying what? What's wrong?" He asked softly. Sometimes she would answer him while she was dreaming, but his words didn't seem to reach her now.

"Sorry. I'm trying." She repeated, her words turning desperate, and he frowned, wondering what kind of dream she was trapped in. Apparently humans did that. He couldn't remember, but sometimes when they dreamed, they lived the same scene over and over again, even if it felt like only once. Bella did this often, repeating lines over and over throughout the night. "Emmett?" He frowned at that. Bella called for him pretty often, for her mother on occasion (although that was rare…more and more often it was for Esme) and for Carlisle once or twice. Each time either Esme or Carlisle had come running, unsure if she was asleep or awake, and had left quickly after a kiss on the forehead, letting her get her sleep. But never before had she called for Emmett in her sleep.

Said brother knocked softly on the door, his thoughts confused. "I don't know." Edward mumbled, too softly to wake her. "It's not a good dream." Emmett entered, walking up to the bed.

"Emmett!" She called, then continued calling his name, her tone frightened. Too surprised to react, they sat with her in silence for a minute, waiting for her cries to quiet, until she screamed. "Emmett, please!" Her voice sounded raw and painful, and Emmett leaned over, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Bella. I'm right here. Calm down." Edward tightened his hold on her, hoping this nightmare didn't cause her to have another panic attack. But her breathing was mostly steady, and her heart rate was fine…she was just frightened apparently. Edward hated it when she had nightmares. There was nothing he could do except hold her or wake her up, and either way she was always terrified afterwards. Sometimes if he let her sleep, her dreams would turn pleasant again if he let her be, but it went against every instinct to let her fight something alone.

"No, please don't!" She screamed, her body curling tightly into a ball. "I'm sorry!" The raw, pained scream made his chest ache in a strange way, and he placed his hand on her shoulder when she jerked awake with a harsh gasp.

"Easy Bella." Emmett said softly, leaning over her. "You awake?" In a sudden, jerky movement, she pulled away from Edward and threw her arms around Emmett's neck with a sob, kneeling on the bed and clinging to him. Emmett put his arms around her, holding her as she sobbed, and looked at Edward.

'What's going on?' Edward shook his head at the silent question.

"No idea." He mumbled, too low for Bella to hear. "She was having a nightmare….about you?" He wasn't sure really….she seemed desperate to be close to his brother…"Maybe about the shooting?" Emmett sighed then, the memories clear in his mind for Edward to see…the boy pointing the gun at Emmett, the way Bella's body was thrown back…the way her knees crashed against the concrete steps as she crumbled to the ground…the horrified look on her face, and then her tears of pain. He flinched as they ran through Emmett's mind.

"Sorry." Emmett mumbled, moving to sit on the bed, lifting Bella easily and tucking her to his side as he lay down, resting against the headboard. Edward placed a hand on her back, his expression wistful as he watched his brother comfort her.

"She okay?" Jasper appeared in the open doorway, sampling the emotions in the room hesitantly.

"How does she feel?" Edward asked quietly.

"Scared…worried. Relieved." Jasper frowned in confusion. "Mostly worried though."

"She had a nightmare…but her breathing is okay. Her heart rate is steady; maybe a little accelerated." Edward said needlessly; everyone in the house could hear her heartbeat. But Jasper nodded and stepped into the room, moving out of Carlisle's way as he entered the room and approached the bed.

"She's awake." He said softly, although he meant it as a question. Edward gave his father a weak smile. The doctor was worried about the girl, his eyes checking her quickly and his mind processing her changing heart rate and breathing.

"Barely…she's falling asleep again." Jasper told him, standing beside him and leaning against the wall near Emmett, his eyes glued to Bella. "I don't know what she's worried about…" Jasper trailed off, focusing more carefully on her emotions. "Ah." Edward saw it in Jasper's mind…insecurity, fear of abandonment…apparently common emotions for the girl. Jasper eased them slowly, calming her and helping her fall asleep once again.

"Thanks." He gave Jasper a grim smile, which his brother returned, glancing only briefly away from Bella.

'I want to give her a medical examination when she wakes up.' Edward glanced up at his father's thoughts. 'Has she had a lot of nightmares since the shooting?'

"I'm not sure…sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night, but she always falls right back to sleep. She never said anything…" Edward told his father softly, careful to keep his voice out of Bella's hearing range so as not to wake her. "Nothing even close to this bad." He told him sadly. Carlisle nodded, crossing his arms and watching her thoughtfully for a moment, his eyes sad, then turned to leave, followed by Jasper.

Emmett glanced at Edward, his eyes questioning. 'Is it okay?'

Edward nodded. "If you don't mind. It's keeping her calm." Emmett gave a half smile and leaned his head back, closing his eyes and moving the blanket so that it covered Bella, shielding her from some of his cold. Edward lay back on her other side, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

Bella sat in Carlisle's office, wondering if she should have asked Edward to stay with her. Of course she felt perfectly safe with Carlisle…she just hated medical exams. Plus he was holding a needle. He'd approached her right after breakfast, which Esme had fixed and she had choked down. Recently her appetite had been smaller than normal, which obviously worried her family, who all insisted on regularly bringing her glasses of water and whatever snacks they found in the kitchen. Seeing his concerned gaze, she'd been worried until he'd assured her that he just wanted to do a medical examination, which she reluctantly agreed to. Edward had offered to stay with her, but she had said no…she had a feeling blood would be involved.

First he had led her into his office, her arm tucked into his elbow, leaving the door cracked as he turned the lights on. A medical scale stood in one corner, along with a blood pressure machine, a black bag she hadn't seen before, and a tray with scary looking needles and tubes. She'd forced her vision away from those, focusing instead on Carlisle. "Did you steal all of this from the hospital?" She asked lightly, her eyebrow arched. He'd laughed, gently leading her to the scale and pulling a clipboard out of the bag. Clicking the pen, he gestured for her to step onto the scale.

"No…all medical equipment was purchased legally…or borrowed with permission." He had promised teasingly as she stepped onto the scale, and he had begun to adjust the bar, his eyes growing solemn as he read the numbers, and then automatically offered her a hand as she stepped down, even if it was less than half a foot from the ground. Jotting down something on the clipboard, he had led her next to the chair, pulling out a blood pressure cuff as she sat, and attaching it to her arm.

Bella had winced as the cuff tightened against her arm, but otherwise sat still as Carlisle's watched the numbers that meant nothing to her change. Finally writing that down as well, he had pulled out a thermometer like the ones she had seen at the office. "Can't you just….tell my temperature?" She had asked, tucking her hair behind her ear as he gently placed the small machine with the pointed tip in her ear and pressed a button.

"Sort of…" He had smiled at her curiosity. "I can get pretty close, but it's difficult to get the precise number…I'd rather rely on the thermometer."

"What's yours?" He had chuckled, writing down a number on the paper and then setting the clipboard down on the tray.

"Cold." He had assured her, putting the thermometer down and crouching down beside her, taking her hand in his. She had looked at him a little surprised, her eyes questioning, until he flipped her hand over and glanced at his watch. "I can hear your pulse." He had answered her silent question, his thumb gently pressing on her wrist, and she had been once again surprised at how easy it seemed for him to be gentle…for all of them. All of these creatures who were so easily able to pick up trees and scale houses were just as easily able to hold her hand without hurting her in the least. "But I just want to make sure my count is as accurate as possible." He had held her wrist for a full minute, and then wrote something on his paper. By the small smile on his face, she had been sure that his original count had been accurate. Taking her hand again, he had run his thumb over her skin, carefully feeling the bones in her wrist and fingers and pinching her skin so gently that she barely felt it. Moving up her arm, he had placed a hand on her shoulder. "How does your shoulder feel?"

"It's a little sore, but not bad." He had nodded.

"May I?" He had touched her sleeve and she nodded, moving her V-neck collar down and out of the way so that he was able to see the wound on her shoulder. He had carefully touched the skin around it, his cool fingers making her shiver. "Sorry." He had smiled apologetically, obviously trying to hurry so she wouldn't be cold.

"It's fine..." He had finished his examination of her shoulder and moved her collar back up to cover her, letting his hand linger comfortingly on her shoulder for a moment before looking back at his notes.

"Your shoulder is healing nicely, but let me know if you start to feel any pain." His voice had been firm and she had nodded, not wanting to argue with a doctor.

'Besides,' she had thought wryly, 'Jasper will just tell him if something's wrong anyway.'

Next he had knelt in front of her, his hand on her knee. "Can you pull your jeans up so I can see your knees?" She frowned at the question but bent over, easily pulling the loose pant legs over her knees. "You fell when he shot you…are your legs sore?"

"A little…I think they're just bruised." She had told him, wincing a little as he ran his hand over the darkened skin.

"I checked them after surgery and there's no damage to the bone." He had assured her. "I did an x-ray to be sure. But you'll be sore for a few days…I'm going to give you some more pain medicine." Standing fluidly he had looked down at her. "How's the ankle?"

"Fine." She had assured him. "It hasn't hurt again since I woke up." He had nodded, checking the clipboard again, then walking over to the little table.

Now she tensed as he came closer, the alcoholic swab suddenly seeming ominous. Pulling up a chair beside her, he took her hand and placed it on the arm of the chair, swabbing the inside of her elbow, frowning when she flinched away. "I just need to check your blood." He said gently. "I'm going to take it to the hospital with me this afternoon to run some tests. He spoke as he pulled the little table with empty tubes closer, placing the needle against her arm. "Shh, relax, Bella." He soothed her, holding her arm when she tried to instinctively pull away. "Do you want Jasper?" Knowing that Jasper was probably within hearing range, she started to say yes, then realized that Carlisle would be drawing blood. Not willing to cause Jasper anymore pain, she forced an easy smile and shook her head, knowing that her increased heart rate would give away her bluff.

Carlisle sighed but didn't try to convince her otherwise, instead keeping one hand on her arm. "How's Calculus?" He asked suddenly. Taken aback, she frowned and looked up at his face, and his eyes were trained on hers. Trying not to think about why he was distracting her, she went along with it.

"Um….it's alright."

"Did you and Emmett go through the chapter before school?"

"Yea. He had to help me with a few of the problems, but most of it was pretty simple…" There was a subtle movement in the corner of her eye, but she focused on his face, surprised that the fact that someone was asking her questions about school would make her emotional…of course Charlie usually asked if school was okay, but she had known that he didn't really care about any kind of detailed answers. But Carlisle had a talent for making her feel like she was the only thing on his mind when she talked to him…most of the Cullens did actually. "We're starting a new unit…well we were going to yesterday…so I guess we will Monday…if I'm going back." She made the words into a question and he gave her a thoughtful look.

"Would you like to go back Monday?" He asked.

"Is everyone else?"

"Probably…if you wanted to wait a while, I can arrange something with the school. And one of the others," He grinned, eyeing her knowingly. "…Probably Edward, can stay home and study with you. Esme will be home all day anyway, so she can help as well." She thought about it for a moment, then bit her lip.

"But I can go back on Monday."

"Probably…unless something is wrong with your blood work…speaking of which, all done." He grinned at the surprised look she gave the three little vials of blood and the Band-Aid on her arm. Chuckling, he stood and placed them in a baggie, which he slipped into a pocket of his black doctor's bag. Moving back to her side, he placed a hand on her back and had her sit straight. "Take a deep breath for me." He requested, and she did, her breathing the only sound in the room as he listened. "Your lungs sound fine, and most of your stats are normal." He informed her, sitting across from her once again, not bothering to move at human speed, as he seemed to appear in the chair. "You are a bit underweight…you lost quite a bit of weight while we were gone, and you haven't gained it all back." He looked at her seriously. "Have you been getting sick when you eat, before the shooting?"

She shook her head, not quite meeting his eyes. "No…I just wasn't hungry." She didn't elaborate and he reached out, taking her hand and squeezing.

"Alright. How about this? We're going to try and make sure you get five small meals a day, and snacks if you feel like it…probably fruit. I noticed you tend to drink soda instead of eating a full meal…try to stick with water or juice. Soda is basically empty calories with no real nutritional value. We'll be sure that you get a healthy breakfast every day…and Pop-tarts do not count as healthy."

"You don't have…"

"We want to." His words were gentle, but he spoke so seriously that she realized that he really was worried. His eyes softened and he squeezed her hand again. "We're worried, Bella, Edward most of all. You need to gain some weight to get in a healthy range…you're a little dehydrated as well, but I'm just going to have you drink more water…you aren't to a point where you need extra fluids. I'd like to check you again tomorrow and I'll start a drip if you are still dehydrated." She flinched a bit, but nodded. 'He's not mad.' She reminded himself. 'They're worried. They're not upset with me.' It helped sometimes, she knew from experience, to remind herself.

"Don't worry." He told her softly. "We'll take care of you." He leaned forward, putting his arms around her and holding her close for a moment. "Now…there is one more thing we need to talk about." Frowning, she pulled away a bit and looked at him. "Edward was reading your mother's thoughts when I asked about your medical history. When you were very young…Edward guessed eight or nine, he believes you had a panic attack…something about a babysitter?" She winced…that memory was perfectly clear, although she hadn't known it was a panic attack. "Can you tell me about it?"

Hesitating for only a second, she looked at her hand in his as she spoke, vaguely aware that everyone in the house was probably listening. "My mom had a trip…something to do with work. She didn't tell me she was leaving until that morning...she made me pack a bag and wouldn't tell me why. I thought we were moving again. Then she told me that she would be gone for the rest of the week and that I was staying with a woman down the street." She was quiet for a moment, her thoughts going back to the elderly woman whose grandkids use to taunt her…. taking her books and locking her out of the house.

"Bella?" His voice was concerned and he took her other hand, leaning forward to peer into her eyes.

"Her grandkids were mean." She smiled ruefully. "They were a few years older than me, and they would torment me when I had to stay there…I begged her not to leave me with them."

"Did they ever hurt you?"

"They pushed me around some…took my stuff…locked me out a few times. They locked me in the closet all night once…" She shuddered at that memory. "I wouldn't leave my room, and the babysitter…I don't remember her name…she was picking me up. I was so scared….it got harder and harder to breathe…I think Renee panicked…she hit me." Carlisle stiffened and she glanced up, surprised to see his eyes hard. "I don't remember anything after that…I think I passed out. I woke up in the guest room later that day."

"Were they mean to you that week?"

"Worse than usual…I think one of them pushed me off the porch and my mom didn't make me go back again."

He regarded her carefully. "Did it ever happen again? Your panic attacks?"

"I learned to calm down eventually…they were almost always over mom, but if she was nearby she'd usually slap me…I think she thought that would help." His eyes darkened and he gently brought a hand to the cheek that her mother had slapped, his cold fingers lingering on the sensitive skin on her face.

"That was very stupid of her." He said softly, his voice hard. "That was probably the worst thing she could have done to a child who was panicking."

"She didn't know what to do." Bella halfheartedly defended her mother.

"She should have taken you to a doctor…she never did?" He clarified.

"It was too expensive I think…I wasn't sick very often."

He sighed, then lowered his hand, taking hers again. "Edward said that there was another attack more recently…when you were about sixteen?" She closed her eyes, trying to ward off those memories. "Bella? Can you tell me what happened?"

"She'd just met Phil…or, she'd just introduced him to me. Mark…he left her and then she was dating Phil…I think he caught her cheating on him." She shook her head; she didn't want to think about Mark. "Um…she brought him home one day…he came into my room...he just wanted to talk but she was downstairs and he came up to my bed and I didn't hear him and…" She was engulfed in Carlisle's arms, his hands rubbing her back, and she realized that she hadn't taken a breath.

"Deep breaths." He told her softly, his hand putting gentle pressure on her back. "Breathe with me." She felt his chest move slowly against hers, in and out in a steady rhythm. "There you go, it's okay. You're safe." He promised, and she found that she was able to breathe easily again. "Now, slowly, okay?" He leaned back so that she could see him. "You were startled by him. You thought he was going to hurt you, understandably. What did you do?"

"I think I screamed…my mom came in and I was screaming for a bit…but I couldn't breathe…he left the house. I think he was angry. My mom was mad…she hit me again but it didn't help…it never did. I…" She paused, remembering to take a deep breath when he squeezed her hand. "I passed out after a minute or so….I woke up and they were still gone. She didn't come back until the next day, and she yelled at me. She told me I was too old to throw a fit." Sniffing softly, she continued, desperate to make him understand. "I wasn't though." She nearly pleaded. "He startled me…and I couldn't breathe. I was scared…" She trailed off, her voice going soft in the end, and he pulled her into his arms again.

"I know sweetheart. She was very wrong to treat you that way." He promised. "She should never have hit you like that, especially when you were having a panic attack. You couldn't help it." He pulled away and kissed her forehead, rubbing her back one last time. "Was that the last time it happened?"

"Yea…she made me apologize to Phil…" She broke off briefly when he snarled, his eyes darkening, then he forcibly relaxed, clenching his jaw and nodding, gesturing for her to go on. "…he said it was okay…he didn't seem mad after that. He stayed over a lot, and he was never mean…well he never paid any attention to me, so that was a nice change. He loved my mom. After they got married, she wanted to spend more time with him, and I moved here."

"Did she ask you to?" She realized that she'd never told Carlisle and Esme about moving to Forks and shook her head.

"No…I just knew she wanted to spend more time with Phil. So I thought I'd spend some time with Charlie." He nodded thoughtfully. "I hadn't had any kind of attack since moving here…well…" She paused, her eyes narrowing as she thought. "Um…when Alice and I went to Italy…well I didn't pass out." He frowned as her thoughts jumbled.

"What happened?"

"The Volturi…we were leaving and we ran into…well some people they were bringing down."

"Ah." He grimaced distastefully. "I see."

"I heard them screaming…" His eyes softened and he pulled her to him, this time pulling her beside him in the chair to sit on his lap. "Edward tried to get me out…Alice suggested slapping me…" He flinched and shook his head.

"I'm glad he didn't." He mumbled, his tone of voice letting her know what a mistake that would have been. "And since?"

"No…not until after Jackson…shot me." He tightened his arms around me, one cold hand resting on my shoulder, and nodded, his face resting against her hair.

Esme stirred the soup, glancing up at the ceiling where her husband's study was. He was doing a medical exam on Bella, and she was worried. He had asked about the panic attacks from her childhood, and Esme was appalled at Renee's behavior…and, to her annoyance, a little sympathetic, though she would never tell anyone…sadly Edward had obviously heard it in her thoughts. Her son stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, his eyes confused. 'She didn't know what to do, Edward.'

"She put herself before her daughter. She hit Bella when she couldn't breathe. She screamed at her…ignored her when she tried to tell her that those men were…hurting her. Renee let all of that happen. Worse, she never took her to the doctor when she had panic attacks!" He cried, starting at her in irritation. Crossing her arms, she regarded him coolly and he instantly backtracked, his arms falling to his sides and his tone losing the disrespectful edge. "Bella passed out, more than once, after going into hysterics, and she didn't care." He said quietly. "I have no sympathy for a woman like that. You didn't hear her thoughts, Mom." He mumbled, moving closer and placing a hand on her arm. "She doesn't regret any of it…she still thinks that Bella was overreacting about those men…she only thinks the worst of her daughter. Trust me…she doesn't deserve your sympathy." He kissed her cheek and she wrapped her arms around him, sighing sadly.

"I just can't believe a mother could truly believe that about their child…that Bella would lie to her about this."

"She doesn't know Bella." He said simply. "She never really tried to…Bella was quiet when she was little; more so than she is now. She read a lot…she didn't play with other kids. Renee thought she was strange…she never tried to understand her. And Bella took over so many responsibilities that Renee never bothered with; she did the cooking and the cleaning, and Renee thought it was because Bella wanted to. She thought that Bella was just a very mature child who didn't need her. So Renee focused on herself; her boyfriends and her hobbies. She thought that Bella was just acting out when she would get anxious…she called her a 'selfish brat' when she didn't want to stay with that babysitter whose grandchildren tormented her. She thought Bella didn't like Phil and was throwing a fit because she was dating another guy…" He hesitated for a moment, as though knowing what he was about to say would upset Esme. "She thought that Bella liked Mark…she came home one day and Mark was in Bella's room with the door shut…she thought they were friends. That's why she thought Bella didn't seem to like Phil." Esme chocked back a sob, leaning her face on Edward's shoulder.

'That's sick…oh poor Bella.' She couldn't stop the thoughts, the image of a little girl so betrayed by her mother who just never bothered to check up on her torturing her. 'Oh my poor little girl.' Edward held her, her sweet son doing all he could to soothe her.

"She's okay now." He reminded her softly. "She has you and Carlisle…the best parents anyone could ever ask for." He whispered, and she laughed softly, pulling away and kissing his cheek.

"And you." She told him affectionately. "I told you she'd be a fool not to love you." He grinned, and she knew that if he were able, he would be blushing.

Edward sat beside Bella at the table while she ate; watching idly as the soup slowly disappeared. It took humans quite a long time to eat, he thought absently. The chicken soup, filled with bits of noodles and celery and carrots, smelled mildly revolting to him, but she seemed to enjoy it. Once again, his mind wandered without his permission, first to Jeremy's face, young and smooth, his black hair tied back, his slick smile, and then to Mark, much larger than Jeremy, and older…probably 35, his blonde hair thinning already, his cold eyes. But worse than that, he remembered Bella, the tiny little girl with curly black hair pinned back, her tiny frame pressed into a corner, her body jerking back when her mother hit her, wide, panicked brown eyes leaking tears that fell down her face, her desperate gasping as her mother left her on the floor. He couldn't imagine how terrified the little girl had been, how abandoned she must have felt as she watched her mother slam the door on her way out.

"Are you okay?" He glanced up at Bella and felt his lips pull into a smile, his eyes softening automatically.

"Sorry…I'm a little…preoccupied. I'm fine. How are you?"

"Full." She answered simply, taking a sip of water and pushing the half finished soup away. He grimaced in response. The serving of soup had been small….but Carlisle had warned them all that getting her appetite back would be a slow process, and forcing her to eat a lot at one time could make her sick. Forcing a small smile, he stood and took her bowl, pouring it back into the pot and covering it, leaving it on the stove on low heat. Esme would put it in the refrigerator if Bella didn't eat it again soon.

"Alright. What would you like to do?" He asked, leaning against the cabinet facing her. She was silent for a moment, and then gave him a tentative smile.

"Can we go out? To the meadow?" He grinned, nodding.

"Of course."

Carlisle stood outside of the blood lab, a small grimace passing over his face as the door opened, pushing the scent toward him. He was perfectly restrained, of course. Blood barely bothered him. But occasionally a face full of the smell would take him by surprise, and he would have to freeze in place, so quickly that no human ever noticed, and get his bearings. Of course no one was never in any danger…he made sure of that. No one in his family had the restraint that he did…well, maybe Edward now.

He had to smile that the thought. He had been beyond worried for his son at first, and for the girl if he was honest. He had shown an uncommon interest in Chief Swan's daughter, and Carlisle had wondered if it would work out. But after James…after her birthday party…well he wasn't so worried anymore. He was pretty certain that Bella would become one of them, something that made his whole family…except maybe for Rosalie, happy. Now his only worry was her health...thus the blood work.

Before he could step into the blood lab, he heard the sound of rushed footsteps…a common enough occurrence in a hospital. But the nurse that came around the corner spotted him and called his name, hurrying (for a human, anyway) for him.

"Yes, Carol?" He asked, smiling courteously.

"Dr. Cullen, there's a woman here who says she needs to speak with you. She says it's quite urgent."

He frowned, a little confused. Occasionally patients would request him…some people around town knew him better than others, and popular opinion was that he was a great doctor. "Did she give a name?" He wondered, following the nurse at what was, for him, a leisurely pace.

"Yes. Renee Dwyer."


	16. Chapter 16

Even after travelling across the Italian countryside, the meadow was still the most beautiful place in the world to Bella. Keeping her on his back, Edward walked them to the center of the clearing, then reached back and pulled her around and held her in his arms, his nose touching hers as he smiled at her. Her feet skimmed the ground as her arms wrapped around his neck and his held her in place easily. "Isn't it annoying? Having to carry me everywhere?" He chuckled, and she felt the vibrations in her own body.

"You don't weigh a thing." He laughed, kissing her nose. "Besides, I don't mind at all." And she could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. "As long as you're with me, I'm happy." Picking her up in his arms and holding her, one hand under her knees, he knelt, lying her on the grass, then hovered on top of her, his nose pressed against her cheek as he inhaled.

"I love you." She whispered, laying her head back on the grass and smiling at him, not even thinking about the grass and dirt that would probably get in her hair. And she did love him…so much she sometimes thought her heart would burst from it. She loved everything about him and everything that came with him; his home, his family, every bit of it, and had been adopted into it as soon as he'd brought her home…as soon as she'd been threatened by their world. She honestly couldn't ask for a better fairy tale than the one she was living…

She recalled that thought, remembering her own left-behind family…her thoughtless, scatterbrained mother who never put too much effort into her daughter's existence, her absent father that tried but had no idea how to relate to her…Jake. Even thinking his name hurt and she remembered first her happy, easy going friend she'd been reunited with when moving to Forks, then the glaring, emotional wreck of a werewolf he was now. And what kind of friend was she being? Had she overreacted? No…she didn't think so. But he'd been her friend for so long that she couldn't help but miss him…the old Jacob….her Jacob.

"You're everything to me." Edward's words brought her back to the present and she smiled, trying to push those thoughts away. But no matter how hard she tried to repress them, she had a feeling they would come back. "What's wrong?" His smile was gone now, and his face was anxious. "Do you not feel well?"

"I'm fine." She assured him, trying to ignore his skeptical look. "Perfectly fine." She tried again, but his hand cupped her face and his eyes were worried. "You'll think it's stupid." She whispered. His eyes widened, then he stroked her face softly.

"I won't…you can tell me anything." He told her quietly, his voice a little hurt. Sighing, she shook her head, turning her face away, but he rolled over, falling to her side, and looking into her eyes. "Please?"

"Everything's just a mess." She relented, her eyes focusing once more on the sky. I haven't seen Charlie in weeks, I can't even speak to Renee without having a panic attack…" She shuddered at the thought, remembering all too clearly that terrible feeling. His arm came to rest over her, pulling her closer. "And…I miss Jacob." She whispered the words, closing her eyes when he stiffened and turning her face away, hoping he wouldn't start shouting. But before she could move away, he had caught her face, turning it back towards him. His eyes were sad, and he leaned forward to kiss her softly.

"You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything." He promised, his lips only an inch away from hers.

"I don't want you to be angry." She whispered, her eyes pleading with his.

"I'm not. I understand…you miss your family, and your…friend." The word caused him some difficulty and she had to smile.

"I shouldn't be so afraid to face them…they're my mother and father."

"They hurt you." He reminded her, his face gentle. "Jacob did the same." That was the biggest issue he had with any of them, that much was obvious.

"Jacob wasn't like that. Not always." She whispered, her eyes sad. "He was sweet. We played together when we were kids. He helped me so much when…" She cut that thought off, not wanting to upset him. "Then he changed." Edward pulled her closer, one hand holding her head to his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, and she wondered if he was blaming himself for this…for the fact that she now lived in a world full of monsters. Wrapping her arms around him, she closed her eyes and pressed against him. It didn't matter, she realized. She had a new family…not just Edward, the love of her existence, but the best parents, the best brothers, the best sisters she could have ever asked for. This was still her fairy tale.

"Don't be." She whispered. "I would have never made it without you." She felt him smile against her head, and his icy lips pressed against her hair.

Edward put his arm around Bella as they walked through Port Angeles. They'd gone back to get his car after a little while, since he didn't want her to have to ride on his back the whole way. Tuning out the thoughts of the few people they passed in the middle of the day, he focused instead on her, on the way she felt as she walked, her arm pressed against his side, the way she would stumble occasionally, the way glanced at him every few minutes, her eyes happy and bright. Of course she was excited, he thought with some amusement. There were going to books involved. The bookstore in Port Angeles was pretty small, and Bella had just bought a few new books, but he knew that she could never really have enough. Then again, his reasoning was almost purely selfish…he loved to watch her read.

He did it every chance he got. Since she'd moved in with them, he'd learned a lot about her, even if they had spent most of their time together anyway. She was open when she read, the stories seeming to come alive in her eyes as they tracked the words on the page, loosing herself in a story, a sight he never stopped finding fascinating. Sometimes she'd scold him for reading over her shoulder, but he never did…he was watching her. And at night when she slept, he would reread the words her eyes had traced, learning the stories that filled her head. Now, after a brief lunch at a little café, he was taking her to find more stories.

Bella stood in the hallway, the calculus class to her left, and the bathroom to her right. She took a hesitant step forward, reaching out to Emmett. "Please, Emmett, let's go." She begged, tears falling from her eyes. She felt the wetness falling down her cheeks although she had no idea why she was so scared. She'd been here before…she realized suddenly that this was a dangerous place…or a dangerous time. Suddenly she realized that Emmett was standing in front of her. "Emmett…" She tugged his sleeve, pulling him backwards a little. He moved with her, turning to smile gently at her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He ruffled her hair, laughing softly, his eyes kind. "Don't be scared. I'm here. You're safe."

"Please, Emmett. Can we go home? Please?" She was truly begging now, tugging on his immovable arm. "Emmett! I'm scared! Please!" He was smiling that same kind, easy going smile, and caught her hand.

"Honestly Bella. Calm down. Okay, we can go." She took a deep breath, relieved, and tugged him toward the stairs, standing on the first, his body right behind her. But she could hear footsteps.

"We have to run! Emmett! Come on, we have to run! Run Emmett!" She tried to get him to pick her up, but he just stared at her, that half amused, half confused smile he gave her when she did something particularly human. "Emmett!" Jackson appeared behind him, the gun pointed straight at her. "No! Please! I…" Her pleas were cut off when the gun echoed through the hall. But she wasn't thrown back…something was wrong. Looking at Emmett in confusion, she froze when she saw him crumble to his knees, the red spot on his stomach expanding. "No…no no! No! Emmett! You…you can't!" She screamed, her throat aching as she cried, trying to make sense of this. Jackson wrapped his arms around her, pulling her away, but she fought to get to Emmett's side, his pained, confused eyes staring up at her. "No!" She screamed. "I have to call Carlisle!" She thrashed against his grip. "Carlisle! Jasper, Edward! Please! Esme!" She sobbed the woman's name, her voice breaking at the end.

"Bella!" Jackson's grip tightened and she sobbed, too weak to fight anymore.

"Please...not Emmett…please!" The pain threatened to tear a hole through her heart as she thought of her sweet brother, his playful smile, the way he held her when she was afraid, or hurt…suddenly the pain eased, a cool hand on her forehead seeming to push the pain away, calming her. Another hand gently wiped at her face, and she was surprised by the cold. Jackson's hands shouldn't be so cold…

"Bella? Sweetheart I'm here. Wake up." A voice pleaded….a very familiar voice. Esme was here!?  
"Esme." She mumbled, finding it harder and harder to keep a grip on what was going on. "'s Em…'met. Get…Dad…get Carlisle! He…he shot…" Words escaped her as she tried to explain, the hallway slowly disappearing.

"Bella, I'm right here! Open your eyes." The other voice ordered gently, hands on her shoulders pulling her, and she jerked awake, her eyes opening.

She was in the bedroom with Edward…and Emmett…and Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Rosalie. But she couldn't get past Emmett…she sobbed when she saw him, fear and relief so powerful that she thought she would burst with them filled her as Emmett wordlessly pulled her into his arms. "Shh, calm down, Bella." He murmured. "It's okay. What happened?"

"He shot you! He killed you, 'met!" She sobbed, clutching his shirt.

"Bella, it wouldn't have hurt me." He reminded her gently, but she shook her head against his chest.

"It did!" She cried, tears pouring from her eyes as she clutched at him, her fingers wound so tightly in the fabric that it hurt. Emmett sighed, rubbing her back as he held her, and she felt his lips on her hair.

"It was a dream, Bella. I'm fine. Okay?" He pulled back, peering anxiously into her eyes, and she nodded, suddenly too tired to argue. Jasper appeared then, his hand cupping her cheek, and suddenly she was exhausted again.

"Go back to sleep Bella." Jasper urged softly. "It's okay. I'll stay…you won't have anymore bad dreams." He promised. She caught his hand, falling back against Edward who caught her easily, pulling her to his chest and lying her down beside him.

"M'kay…'met?"

"Yea Bella?"

"You 'k?" She mumbled.

Even with her eyes closed, she could hear the smile in his voice as he answered. "Yea, Bella. I'm okay."

Renee bit her lip and looked around the empty waiting room, her foot bouncing anxiously. She'd met Carlisle Cullen twice now, the first time when he'd been treating her daughter, the second when she'd gone to his home and he'd all but kicked them out. She had been struck each time by his youthful appearance. He was probably the most handsome man she'd ever met, although she felt bad for thinking it. His wife was equally lovely, but there was something about him…the eyes. They seemed too old.

He'd been troubled both times they'd met, and her daughter had been the cause each time. She looked away from the door and tried to still her movements, focusing on the framed photo of a happy looking little girl standing beside a nurse on the wall. Renee loved her daughter. She didn't understand her daughter…and she wasn't sure that she knew her daughter, but she loved her. As a child, Bella had been quiet, and had become even more quiet after they'd moved away from Charlie and Forks. Renee had thought she was sulking at first, sad to be away from her father, and she had tried to comfort her. She'd signed her up for ballet classes after a while, had bought her books and watched movies with her…had tried to teach her took cook as much as she knew how. But to Renee, it had seemed as though her little girl was completely uninterested…and then Renee had met…well she couldn't remember his name, but he'd been a teacher at the school where she'd worked. He had seemed to like Bella, and they'd gone on a few date before calling it off.

She hadn't had a serious relationship until Jeremy, the first man she'd introduced to Bella, but that time of her daughter's childhood was all a bit fuzzy for her. Bella had grown up, quiet, withdrawn, and a totally different person than Renee. She'd spent her time with books instead of other children, and any attempt to get her to interact with others was met with resistance.

Dr. Cullen, who still looked far too young to be such an acclaimed surgeon, had wanted to know if Bella had ever had panic attacks…and Renee had been far too ashamed to answer. What would the handsome young doctor who seemed to adore her daughter think of her if he knew that she had assumed her daughter had been throwing fits? That she'd slapped the little girl and left her to collapse on the floor…that she'd ignored all the signs of a serious medical condition because she just assumed that Bella was being difficult. Shaking her head, she knew that she could never admit to any of that…not to Carlisle Cullen.

But she had to talk to Bella. She had no idea what she would say to the girl when she finally saw her…no idea how she could make any of this right. But she knew that if she didn't at least try, she might lose her daughter forever. Before she could contemplate that anymore, the handsome doctor appeared around the corner, his eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "Mrs. Dwyer." He greeted her hesitantly, his eyes wary. "How can I help you?"

She couldn't help but smile at the reluctance in that question. This man wasn't doing a very good job at hiding the fact that he disliked both herself and her husband. "Hello Dr. Cullen. Please, call me Renee." She stood, keeping her hands at her sides. "Phil isn't here." She added, and was amused at his half smile.

"What can I do for you?"

"Phil's gone back to Florida." She informed him softly. "He told me about the phone call….I had no idea that he'd spoken to her." He crossed his arms, listening in silence. "I…please, Dr. Cullen. Please let me speak to her." His eyes didn't soften…his stance didn't change.

"Bella has made it abundantly clear that she does not wish to speak to you. And I will not force her."

Emmett wondered if it were possible for vampires to shed tears if their emotions became too much. Of course he never had…not after waking as one of them anyway. Esme had sobbed, but tears had never fallen from her eyes…Rosalie too had lay in his arms and cried, tearless sobs shaking her body as she'd mourned everything she'd ever lost. But now, even without Jasper's talent, he could feel the agony rolling off his brother as Bella lay in his arms, her face still wet from tears, and wondered how Edward could bear it…how he could cope with this.

She'd fallen asleep around seven after spending most of the day out with Edward, although Emmett wasn't sure where they'd gone. They'd returned around three in the afternoon, and Bella had seemed utterly exhausted. After eating dinner and then falling asleep briefly while watching a movie, his brother had moved her upstairs shortly after Carlisle left for work. Their father had been off of work for two days, but apparently one of the other doctors had called in and he was needed. Carlisle usually took night shifts at the hospital, partly because he was free to go around and not worry about sunlight coming in through the clouds, but mostly because he knew how hard it was on the humans to be alert all night.

After bidding them all goodbye, and Bella goodnight, Carlisle had left, leaving instructions for Edward on where to find the sedatives if it became necessary…with two degrees in medicine, Edward was the best equipped to deal with any kind of medical emergency. But everything had seemed fine. Bella had been more tired than usual, but Emmett could understand that after the traumatic events she'd been through…he was tired himself, though more in a mental way. But around one in the morning, he'd heard her heart rate increase and had raced up the stairs, followed by Jasper.

Edward had been holding her, his eyes filled with pain as tears leaked from her closed eyes. "It's worse when I wake her." Edward tried to explain, his voice breaking from the pain he was in. Walking to his brother's bedside, Emmett had reached over and put a hand on his arm while Bella had cried in her sleep, apparently immune to Jasper for the moment.

"Please Emmett." She mumbled, her voice frightened. "Please…go home…I'm scared….please Emmett." She'd turned in her sleep, curling on her side facing the door. "Please! Run…we have to…no!" She'd cried out then. Emmett had reached out then, wiping her face as Edward pulled her into his arms, desperately trying to defend her from an enemy he couldn't fight. "Call…please! Carlisle! Call Carlisle! Jasper!" She mumbled incoherently as Jasper winced, stepping forward and touching her shoulder. "Please! Not Emmett!" Jasper gasped aloud, his hand going to his chest, his face crumpling in surprised pain as he sunk his teeth into his lip, but maintained contact with her shoulder. She was sobbing, her entire body shaking with the force of it, and Emmett could stand it no longer…especially not while looking into the physical embodiment of her pain on Jasper's face.

"Bella." He said softly, trying to wake her gently. Before he could get any farther, Esme hurried into the room, the girls on her heels.

"Bella, sweetheart I'm here. Wake up." Esme knelt in front of the bed beside Emmett, touching the girl's face and taking one of her hands.

"'s Em…'met." She mumbled, more tears falling from her eyes. "Get…Dad…get Carlisle!" She pleaded. "He…he shot…"

Emmett immediately realized what she was trying to say and took her shoulder. "Bella, I'm right here! Open your eyes." He commanded, desperate now. Placing both hands on her shoulders, he carefully pulled her into a sitting position, wrapping one around the back of her head to support it, and flinching when she gasped, jerking awake. For half a second she stared around the room, taking in all of the people, but stopped when she got to him.

He didn't need to read her mind to read the fear and pain coming from her…the relief and pleading mixed in her eyes. He could vaguely remember his own human life, but one memory, hazy and indistinct, stood out. It was a dream, he was sure. His father had been killed somehow, and upon waking, Emmett had been unable to calm down until he was in his father's arms. Opening his arms, he pulled her close, rubbing her back and soothing her. "Shh, calm down, Bella." He murmured, meeting Edward's pain filled eyes. "It's okay. What happened?"

"He shot you! He killed you, 'met!" She was sobbing and shaking so hard he feared she would fall apart. But Edward was watching her intently, and they all did the same, listening to her breathe…listening to her lungs as they worked, making sure they continued to do their job.

"Bella, it wouldn't have hurt me." He tried to reassure her. Unlike when she'd first asked at the school, he no longer found anything amusing about her fear; she was so terrified that Jasper closed his eyes, leaning against the bed as if her emotions were overpowering him. Alice stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his back, her large worried eyes on Bella's trembling form.

"It did!" Emmett sighed, kissing her hair and rubbing her back. Hot liquid soaked into his shirt as it fell from her eyes, seeming to scorch his skin like fire.

"It was a dream, Bella. I'm fine. Okay?" He pulled back, too worried to let her go, and then glanced up at Jasper as she stared at him. He knew that without Jasper's help, she wouldn't be able to get any rest or peace of mind…not after a dream this painful. Stepping forward, Jasper leaned into her line of sight, standing against Emmett.

"Go back to sleep Bella." Jasper's voice was hypnotic. "It's okay. I'll stay…you won't have anymore bad dreams." He promised. She reached out and grabbed his hand, then the calm he projected overtook her, and she slouched back against Edward.

"M'kay…" She mumbled, laying her head back against Edward's shoulder until he placed her on the pillows. "'met?"

On his way out the door, Emmett glanced back, watching as Jasper sat on the floor, Alice climbing into his lap. "Yea Bella?"

"You 'k?" Her words were barely coherent, even to him, but they made him smile softly.

"Yea, Bella. I'm okay."

Carlisle looked over the blood work, his eyes skimming the paper that told him everything he already knew. Making notes in her medical file, he closed his eyes as he tried to fill in the gaps. She didn't have a documented panic disorder, but she'd had attacks as a child. Thankfully her mother had never done anything worse than smack her…he couldn't bear to think of how bad it might have gotten if Renee had escalated. The thought of Renee had him thoughtful again.

Carlisle had been able to smell the woman from the hallway, a scent similar, if less floral, than Bella's. The thought of Bella's scent had made him grin, taking him briefly back to the summer after James's attack. Bella had spent more and more time with his family, Esme especially, and everyone, minus Rosalie, had been doing their best to get to know her, at first for Edward's sake, but then for her own, and her scent had quickly saturated the places in the house where she frequented.

One day he had been in the kitchen with Esme as they'd cooked, and Bella had been sitting at the table with Edward. His large son had come in, wrinkled his nose at the smell, and then grinned at Bella. "That smells awful." He had then leaned over the counter, his face close to Bella's, and inhaled, showing his teeth in a huge smile. "You, on the other hand, smell delicious." For a moment, Carlisle had thought that Esme was somehow going to have a heart attack, the look on her face was so horrified, but before he could reprimand his son, Bella had snorted, rolling her eyes, and shoved at Emmett, who let himself be pushed away.

"Stop being weird, Emmett." Catching Esme's shocked stare, the girl had grinned. "He does this all the time." Even Edward hadn't reacted, only rolling his eyes and sighing, as though he couldn't believe he had to put up with this. Chuckling, Emmett had dropped into the seat beside her and ruffled her hair while Edward looked on in fond amusement, a look so foreign on his previously sullen son's face that it made Carlisle's heart light.

His family had all but adopted the girl, and now Renee wanted her back. The woman had been fidgeting in the waiting room, but had stood to greet him, immediately reassuring him that Phil was back in Florida, and then begged to see her daughter. But Carlisle had been adamant. He would not force Bella to talk to anyone…not after she'd all but begged him not to. He would no be the one responsible for causing her any kind of pain…not after everything she'd been through.

But honestly, he didn't know if Bella would want to speak to Renee. After a rather abrupt conversation, he'd promised Renee that he would speak with Bella, a promise he was debating on not keeping. The woman had assured him that she'd be in town for a few days…he wanted to give Bella some time. 'But what if I wait and Bella's upset that I didn't tell her? What if she wants her mother?' Bella hadn't made any kind of show of missing her family, but that didn't mean much considering how well she could hide her emotions from all but Jasper. Placing the paperwork in a file that he slipped into his black bag, Carlisle stepped out of his office, locking the door behind him. He would have to think this over, and speak to Esme when he returned home.

Esme cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she closed the waffle iron, listening to the batter sizzle. "She wants to see Bella?" She repeated, her voice muted.

"She's staying in town for a few days…apparently Phil is back in Florida."

"What did you tell her?" Esme asked her husband, glancing at the clock. It was nearly nine o'clock but there were no signs from upstairs that Bella would be stirring any time soon. Alice and Jasper had remained in her room all night, Jasper sitting on the floor beside her bed, his eyes closed as he monitored her emotions, and Alice on his lap. Rosalie was sitting at the computer, clicking through webpages and sites so quickly that Esme doubted she was even paying attention, and Emmett had a baseball game on TV that he wasn't watching.

"I told her that I would call her at Charlie's after speaking to Bella."

"And are you going to speak to Bella?" He sighed, a deep, melancholy sound.

"I don't know." Esme didn't care if her husband lied to Renee, but Bella was a different story.

"You can't expect to keep this from her." She scolded gently.

"What if she hurts her?"

"We won't leave her alone with Bella, obviously. Alice, Rose, and I will stay nearby…I don't think Renee will want to know that you and the boys are eavesdropping."

"And what if Bella has another panic attack?"

"Jasper will be close by. He'll be able to tell if she starts to panic."

"And what if Bella forgives her?" That question was asked more quietly, and much more painfully, than any of the others, and Esme knew exactly what he was trying to say. 'What if Bella goes back to her family? What if we lose her?'

"I don't want to lose our daughter any more than you do." She whispered, leaning against the counter and wishing that Carlisle were back, holding her in his arms. "But Renee is still her mother, no matter how much we love her. And I think it would help Bella, if they could reconcile before Bella becomes a part of our family permanently…before it's too late." He sighed again, and she knew that he agreed. "She loves you…you're her father. That won't change."

After a slight pause, Esme knew that she needed to tell her husband the other news. "Bella had another nightmare last night."

"How bad?"

"Very."

"As bad as yesterday?"

"Maybe worse." She took a deep breath, opening the waffle iron and placing the perfectly done waffle on a plate, pouring new batter into the iron and starting another. "It was about Emmett again…I believe she dreamed the boy shot him."

"Why would that make her so upset?" Carlisle asked, confusion in his voice. "Does she think we'd leave her again?"

"No…she dreamed that he was killed…she kept saying 'not Emmett'…Oh Carlisle you should have seen…she wouldn't let him go." Esme sniffed softly. "Jasper was so worried, and Edward…but Emmett just had to hold her. Jasper stayed with them all night, keeping her emotions under control."

"Nightmares aren't uncommon after such a traumatic event." He was trying to comfort her, but his voice was strained and full of pain.

"Do you think she should speak with someone?"

"Outside of our family? No…she wouldn't be able to really talk about it. Not without someone recommending her for a psych evaluation." He tried to joke, but his voice was still pain laden. It was obvious to Esme that he was truly at a loss.


	17. Chapter 17

Edward stared at the door mindlessly, his entire focus on the girl in his arms. The only sounds in the room were Bella's quiet breathing and the unnecessary soft breathing of Jasper and Alice. Glancing down at them, he felt another wave of gratitude towards his brother and sister. Jasper smiled slightly in response, but the blond vampire was focused entirely on Bella and her emotions. He'd stayed perfectly still all night, keeping her from panic or fear, and effectively keeping her nightmares away. Alice had stayed as well, both because she worried about Bella and because she wanted to be with Jasper.

Emmett was trying to watch a baseball game on TV but that didn't seem to be working out too well…his thoughts were focused on the girl in Edward's arms as well. It was almost nine a.m., and Bella hadn't even stirred. But her breathing was fine and her heart rate was normal, so Edward figured she was just tired. Esme was downstairs fixing breakfast and speaking with Carlisle, but they were speaking so quietly that he couldn't hear his father's voice…still, he could hear the whole conversation in Esme's head, so it didn't matter.

Edward did not want Bella to speak to her mother…mostly because he didn't want her hurt again, but also because he held a grudge against the woman who'd so badly hurt his love. He thought of Bella's limp form in Carlisle's arms and cold only blame Renee. It was her fault…her fault that Bella had been forced to endure such terrible things, and he would never be able to forgive her for that. But he also agreed with Esme. They couldn't keep the fact that her mother wanted to see her from Bella…she had a right to know. And if Bella found out later, which she inevitably would, that they'd lied to her…well how could she ever trust them again?

Downstairs he could hear Esme's questioning thoughts and he sighed, glancing back down at Bella's still form. "She's still sound asleep." He told her softly, knowing that he wouldn't wake Bella. The girl in his arms shifted, then rolled over, nestling into his chest and mumbling about not wanting to leave.

"You don't have to go anywhere, Bella." He promised her quietly, his hand rubbing her back gently. He remembered a time when he thought that he'd never be able to touch her and smiled. He hated that she was hurting, but there was nothing he preferred to having her in his arms. His voice seemed to reach her and she smiled a bit, settling back into her deep sleep.

The car pulling into the driveway at 11:30 made everyone in the house pause, their eyes wide as they listened to it come closer. In the living room, Alice frowned…she hadn't seen anyone visiting today. It was rare that people would visit the elusive Cullens…even more rare that they could actually find their driveway. But Alice was always able to warn her family when they did so that the vampires could get into character. Now, sifting through the future, she saw Renee's split second decision to stop by. Leaping to her feet from Jasper's lap, she bared her teeth and snarled, the instinctual movement an expression all of her frustration. Following her lead, Jasper leapt to his feet as well, stepping up beside her, although she knew he didn't have any idea who it was. Edward, on the other hand, saw the image in her head and was downstairs in a second, his teeth bared in true anger. "What's going on?" Carlisle and Esme appeared at the top of the stairs, then hurried down to stand beside Alice, Jasper, and Edward.

"It's Renee." Alice said softly, her eyes black.

"Renee? Why didn't you…"

"It was a last minute decision…she didn't plan on coming here. She's determined to speak to Bella."

"No." Edward growled, looking imploringly at Carlisle who was silent. "Carlisle!" He hissed, mindful that Bella was still asleep.

"What's going on?" Rosalie asked softly, appearing downstairs with Emmett on her heels.

"Renee is coming for a visit." Jasper informed them dryly. Emmett growled softly, cutting his eyes to the ceiling, then stepped closer to his family. "She means to speak with Bella."

"She's going to cause a scene if we don't let her…" Alice informed them, her eyes still dark with anger. "She'll wake Bella up…we only have five minutes."

"What if we talk to her…explain that Bella isn't feeling well?" Carlisle asked.

"…I don't know. She's going back and forth too much."

"We won't wake her." Carlisle said after a moment. "We'll explain everything calmly to Renee…" He glanced over at the boys, a warning in his voice. "and then we'll send her on her way."

Renee pulled up to the imposing white house for the second time that week, her top lip firmly between her teeth. 'Should I be doing this? Just dropping in again? They seemed so angry with us last time…but I have a right to see my own daughter…right? But what if she doesn't want to see me? Or if they won't let me see her? Will she even be here? Will I just yell for her?' She sighed, her mind racing as she stepped out of the car. Still, she was glad that Phil wasn't with her this time. The Cullens seemed to hate him especially. But Dr. Cullen had promised her last night that he would tell Bella that she wanted to talk to her…only she wasn't so sure that he would. And she needed to get home soon…her job wouldn't wait for her forever.

Hesitating only a second on the porch, she tapped her knuckles against the wooden door, waiting only half a second before it was pulled open, Dr. Cullen and his wife standing on the other side. "Mrs. Dwyer." He greeted her softly, his voice not nearly as welcoming as before. "What a surprise. Please come in." He acted as though the words were painful to say, but she accepted the invitation with a small, hesitant smile, freezing for a moment when she entered the living room.

She'd seen the boys before. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward all sat on the same sofa together, regarding her with varying amounts of hostility. But the girls were almost more frightening. The smaller girl sat on a sofa, her legs tucked under her, her chin resting on her fist, her short, spiky hair only drawing attention to her beautiful, furious face. The blonde, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease, one knee resting on the other as she leaned back against the sofa. "These are our daughters." Esme said softly, gesturing to each girl. "Alice and Rosalie."

"It's nice to meet you." Renee greeted them with a pleasant smile. Rosalie nodded coolly. Alice lifted an eyebrow, and then glanced up at the ceiling, then at Edward. "Where is Bella?" She asked, not exactly eager to make conversation with a room full of hostile young models.

Carlisle paused for a moment, glancing sideways at his wife who offered Renee a small smile. "Bella hasn't been feeling well since the shooting…we're afraid she's suffering from dehydration….and the panic attacks of course. She's asleep." The beautiful woman informed her softly as if reminding her to keep her voice down.

For a moment, Renee's conscience pricked her. She knew that Bella would often feel sick for hours after her 'fits' as a child, curling up on the bed…or even the floor, and refusing to eat or drink anything. Any attempt to make her only served to make things worse. Abruptly Edward stiffened on the sofa, and Emmett scooted closer imperceptibly, nudging his brother on the shoulder. Confused but not caring enough to ask, she turned back to the parents. "Dr. Cullen, I wish to speak to my daughter before I return home. I cannot stay in Forks for very long…I only have a few days and I need to talk to Bella." Briefly she noted that all three boys glanced at the ceiling again, and Edward let his eyes linger there for a moment.

"Another time, perhaps, but at…" He began, but she felt a flash of anger.

"Did you even tell her that I wanted to speak to her?" She bit out, ignoring the way every teenager in the room stiffened.

"You only just spoke to me last night, and I didn't arrive home until ten o'clock this morning so no, forgive me for not speaking with her yet." His words were coldly formal.

"Did you plan to tell her?"

"I'm not sure." He said honestly, one eyebrow arched. "I am tempted not to…you've caused quite enough damage."

"How dare you!" She snapped, her jaw clenching. "Bella is my daughter and I have a right to speak to her!"

"After everything that's happened, I'm not so sure."

"You're saying this was my fault!" While he kept his voice even, hers continued to rise in volume. "How was I supposed to know she had panic attacks! How could I have known what Jeremy was doing to her? She never told me!"

"She tried." He reminded her, the admonishment clear in his voice.

"Once! She said that he was 'scaring her.' What was I supposed to do? Break up with him because my daughter was acting jealous?! Was I supposed to give up my life because my daughter was throwing a fit!?" For a second, she thought she heard a dog snarl and she stiffened, looking around the room, but no one was looking at anything besides her. All three boys were leaning in, their dark eyes trained on her. The girls, on the other hand, regarded her unemotionally from the couch. Carlisle's jaw was clenched and she wondered briefly why she was being defensive. "I came here to talk to Bella…not listen to you criticize my parenting." She told them snappishly. "I am going to speak to her today. If I have to wait around for her to wake up, I will."

"I will not let you hurt her." The doctor spoke so softly that she had to strain to hear him, but something in his voice warned her of impending danger. "You've hurt her so much…you and that monster you brought with you…not again. I won't allow it."

"You don't have the right!" She leapt to her feet. "You can't keep me away form her!"

"We will if we have to." Esme said quietly, not moving from her husband's side. The woman's voice was firm, but not unkind. "We'll make sure you never see her…if that's in her best interests. If she doesn't want to see you, she doesn't have to, and we won't let you make her feel guilty about it."

"What is wrong with you people!?" She cried, truly perplexed. 'Why are they so anxious to protect her…she's just their kid's girlfriend.' Esme had never seen anyone so protective of someone who wasn't a family member and wondered what these strange people were thinking. "Bella is not your daughter! I don't know how you've managed to delude yourself into this, but you are not her parents!"

"Don't you yell at them." Renee spun around at the cold voice, missing the surprised looks on everyone else's faces. Bella stood at the top of the stairs, her eyes blazing as she made her way down the staircase with a familiarity that surprised Renee, coming to a stop a few feet away from her, arms crossed as she regarded her mother dispassionately.

Bella woke alone. For a moment, she stared around in confusion. She never woke alone. Edward was almost always beside her when she woke, but if he wasn't, Alice, Emmett, Jasper, or Esme was. They seemed to make it a rule in the house…Bella will not wake up alone. Actually, unless she actively sought solitude, Bella was rarely alone at all. There was always someone, mostly Edward, around to keep her company, fix her food, or play games with her. On the unusual occasions when this irritated her, they all seemed to understand immediately, and she found herself alone until she sought someone out. But now she was unaccompanied in the huge bed she shared with Edward.

Sitting up slowly, she looked around the room, her lip finding its way between her teeth. Listening carefully, she could hear muted voices. Pushing the covers off and standing carefully, knowing that any attempt at speed on her part could put her back in the sling Carlisle hadn't insisted on last night, she slipped into a pair of jeans and a shirt, then stepped into the hallway. Across the hall, Carlisle's office door was open. Peering down the long hallway, she could make out a light coming from Emmett and Rosalie's room and crept down toward it, wondering if she would find them in there. The room was empty, however, and she glanced through Carlisle and Esme's open door as well, finding it empty with the light still on. Heading toward the stairs, she concluded that everyone must be downstairs. Alice's door was shut and she didn't bother knocking…it was never a good idea to disturb the vampires if their door was shut and you didn't know where their mate was…

Coming around the corner, she heard loud voices and stayed pressed against the wall, wondering who was shouting but then immediately recognizing the voice she hadn't heard properly in so long. "You can't keep me away from her!" She shouted, her voice echoing through the large downstairs room.

"We will if we have to." Her adoptive mother's voice was soft, but stern as she admonished Bella's biological mother. "We'll make sure you never see her…if that's in her best interests. If she doesn't want to see you, she doesn't have to, and we won't let you make her feel guilty about it." For a moment, Bella's heart lightened. She knew that she loved Esme and Carlisle…the whole family in fact, but to hear Esme standing up for her blatantly…to be protected by a parent was still such a new experience for her that she felt a smile spreading across her face. For the first time in a while, the thought of her mother being so close didn't lead to panic…she was perfectly safe here.

"What is wrong with you people!?" Renee cried, her voice incredulous. Bella winced at the volume, glad she hadn't woken to that. Stealing around the corner, and wondering if her family could hear her…or if they were too focused on Renee, Bella caught sight of Carlisle's and Esme. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were all angled toward Renee who sat across from her parents, and Alice and Rosalie sat on the other side, their back to Bella, their posture deceptively still. "Bella is not your daughter! I don't know how you've managed to delude yourself into this, but you are not her parents!" For a second, that hurt…deeply. Taking a deep breath she refuted it in her mind, keeping the memory of Carlisle holding her…assuring her that he was her father, firmly in her mind. They were her parents, and she was their daughter, and nothing Renee said would ever change that.

Before she could go any further with that train of that, she was struck by the pained looks on Carlisle and Esme's face…the way Esme scooted a little closer to Carlisle and took his hand. Renee was hurting them, she realized. She was making them doubt how much Bella loved them…making them doubt the hold this family had on her. Fear and doubt were shoved aside to make room for anger as she stepped into sight, pausing at the top of the stairs for only half a second before descending the familiar staircase, her body twisting around the curves as easily as anything, her muscles remembering the movements while her brain focused on her irritation.

"Don't you yell at them!" She all but snarled, her hands balled into fists as she stepped off the staircase. All eyes were fixed firmly on her, but she didn't care. She barely noticed Rosalie's shock or the smirks on Emmett and Jasper's faces…barely registered the fact that Edward had stood and now leaned toward her as though he wanted to pick her up and carry her safely away. No…she only saw the hurt, wistful looks on Esme and Carlisle's faces. Renee had hurt her plenty of times, and that was just life. She'd grown used to disappointment and pain from her mother…took it in stride with everything else. But Bella was not going to stand by while she hurt her parents. "You wanted to talk to me?" She demanded coldly, her arms crossed while waiting for a response to the question that was not quite a question.

"Bella…" Her mother breathed her name, surprise and confusion warring on her open face, and for a moment Bella forgot her anger and just wanted to throw herself into her mother's arms…to forget everything that had passed and just be held by her mom…but the moment passed as soon as she glanced back at Esme's face and realized that her mother was standing over by her father, her anxious expression tearing at Bella's heart. "I…I thought you were asleep." The woman offered lamely, her lips pulled into an awkward smile.

"You woke me up." Bella lied quickly, not pausing to let anyone try to puzzle out if she were lying. "What's wrong? Why are you here?" She realized immediately that the question had come out harsher than she had intended, but she didn't take it back. She couldn't let herself loose the irritation…the picture of the pain Renee had caused Carlisle plain on their faces.

"I…Bella I need to talk to you." Her voice softened and Bella closed her eyes briefly, her teeth biting into her lower lip.

"We'll be in the kitchen." Carlisle's soft voice was a warning to Renee, and he waited until the others filed out to step over to where Bella stood, resting his hand briefly on her shoulder. "Call if you need us, okay?" Bella smiled at him, the feelings of safety and comfort washing over her again, then watched him step into the kitchen. Of course, she knew that they would be able to hear every word that she and Renee shared, and that Bella wouldn't actually need to call for them to come; any chance in emotion that bothered Jasper would achieve the same result. Bella took a deep breath, determined to make this a short conversation.

"Talk." She said simply, her arms still crossed.

"Charlie called me…he told me what happened." Her mother said gently, her own lip between her teeth. "With that boy that lives here….Billy's son. And about…well about Jeremy and Mark."

Bella didn't bother telling her that there were others…she would keep that to herself. She didn't need to make this any more drawn out than it needed to be…she wasn't sure how long she could keep herself calm during this kind of conversation. But her mother was nothing if not determined. "I don't understand why you wouldn't tell me, Bella." Bella closed her eyes and focused on breathing. She knew that if she let herself panic now, then Jasper would step in, and she wouldn't get another chance like this to talk to her mother. "If you had just told me…."

"I did!" She cried, her hands balling into fists, then worked to soften her voice and slow her breathing. "I told you…I told you that he scared me. I told you that he was watching him…that I didn't even feel safe in our house."

"But you never said anything when he…"

"Why would I?" She whispered. "You didn't believe me the first time. Why would I try again?" Renee shook her head, a tear falling from her eye.

"I thought you were angry…I thought you were upset because I was dating and…making things up. I…"

"You thought I was lying." Bella bit her lip hard, letting the physical pain keep the tears back as she accused her mother. "You didn't trust me." Bella couldn't bring herself to say the other things…that she was ashamed, embarrassed…and afraid for her mother. Afraid of her reaction and so desperate not to make her life any harder. Her mother had never made it a secret how hard life as a single mother was. Bella couldn't bear to make it harder…couldn't bear to be any more of a burden.

"I'm sorry." She looked up at the choked words, at Renee's tear stained face, and opened her arms without thinking, an automatic response. She'd always been the one comforting Renee. This would be no different, she thought tiredly as Renee buried her head in Bella's shoulder, her tears soaking into her shirt. "Oh Bella, I'm so sorry…" And Bella knew that she was…she was sorry that she'd messed up. She was always sorry.

"It's okay." Bella said dully, forcing a comforting smile when Renee pulled away, a lifetime of her moods wings preparing her for the bright, hopeful smile and Renee's sudden cheerful attitude.

"I'm going to make this better, okay, sweetheart?" The affectionate nickname that she now associated with Carlisle and Esme made her flinch a little, something Renee didn't notice. "We're going to go somewhere, just the two of us…" Bella stopped short; Renee's words making her breath catch in her throat. "What? Bella, what is it?"

"Go somewhere?" Bella repeated, stepping back, her eyes automatically seeking the doorway to the kitchen as if just looking would bring the help she suddenly wanted.

"Yea…oh sweetie it'll be fun. Or you could come down to Florida….spend a little time with Phil and me…oh you never really got to know him, honey. He's really a nice man." The thought of Phil's accusing words brought back the terrible memories…the feeling of the needle and the sedative and the ache in her chest…feelings that all disappeared in half a second.

"No." It took Bella a second to realize that she hadn't been the one to speak. A cool hand touched her shoulder and pulled her back against a stone body, and she realized that she was leaning against Esme's side. Carlisle stepped into view, and Bella realized that it had been him who had spoken as he moved in front of her. Glancing back at the kitchen door, she was unsurprised to find Jasper leaning against the doorframe, his lips turning up briefly to smile at her, and the calm surrounded her again. "Bella is still recovering from the shooting, not to mention the panic attacks and dehydration. She's not up to any kind of trip, Mrs. Dwyer."

"I beg your pardon? I think I know what's…" She stopped, as if realizing how ludicrous that statement would sound, and clenched her jaw. "I have primary custody of Bella. If I…"

"Bella is a legal adult." Esme reminded her softly. "You cannot force her to go with you."

"Well you can't force her to stay!" Renee snapped, glaring at both of them. Bella glared in response, about to reprimand Renee again for trying to hurt her mother, but Carlisle took a deep breath and smiled sadly.

"No…we can't. Nor would we ever want to force her to do anything." Turning his back on Renee, Carlisle stepped up to Bella, leaning over slightly so that he could look into her eyes, but keeping himself fully in between her and Renee, his stance protective. Reaching out, he placed a hand on her arm. "Bella, what do you want to do?" Fully aware that her mother, her biological mother…the woman who now wanted to reconcile with her…the woman who she may never see again, was listening, she bit her lip and looked at the ground. Gently, he cupped her cheek, pulling her face up so that he could see her eyes. "Whatever you want to do, sweetheart, we understand. And you'll always be welcome with us, no matter what you decide."

And Bella realized that he was giving her a choice, despite his own feelings. He didn't want her to go…not because he wanted to control her or because he thought it was dangerous…no, he would most certainly take care of any danger…but because he didn't want to lose his daughter. Esme tightened her hold and Bella knew that she felt the same way as Carlisle… 'I have a mother and a father…right here. And brothers and sisters and someone who I love more than anything…and who loves me just as much.'

Shaking her head, Bella focused on her father. "I don't want to leave, Dad." She said quietly, but she knew Renee could hear. She didn't care. Carlisle smiled softly, his eyes lighting up as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. Esme's hand stroked up and down her arm, and Carlisle pulled away, his hand resting on top of Esme's on her arm.

"You never have to." He promised.

Renee stared at the scene in front of her, surprised despite herself. Bella had called him 'dad.' She'd started calling Charlie by his first name a few years after they'd divorced. Of course, she'd always called Renee 'mom'…but this was something different. Renee realized that she would never understand this strange relationship her daughter had with Carlisle and Esme Cullen. But she could see in the woman's face, and then in the man's…and in the way they stood, keeping Bella close, their bodies in between hers and Bella's….that they loved her. Fiercely. They wanted her…understood her. And Renee knew that her daughter was, in a way, lost to her. Taking a step back, she bit her lip and shook her head, not meeting the doctor's confused gaze. It had all been a dream, she realized, the thought that she could waltz back into Bella's life and then Bella would suddenly be a different person…her new best friend…her new project. That Bella would come and live with her and keep her company and take part in all her plans and hobbies. No…it was never going to work, she thought.

But Bella was happy, that much was certain. It was the least she could do, she realized; leave her daughter alone with the family she wanted. She wouldn't quite take responsibility for this…she wouldn't admit that it was her fault…not even to herself. She would tell people that Bella was staying with her boyfriend if they asked. She wouldn't mention the strange family, or the beautiful house in the woods. She would just say that she lived with a boy now. It was common enough these days. She planned it all in her head, the responses she would give when her friends asked where she had been. She thought it out as she stepped out the door, not sparing another glance for the girl now in Dr. Carlisle Cullen's arms. 'Bella's doing great. Yes, she's living with her boyfriend. You know how kids are nowadays. But they might get married soon…'

Carlisle held her as she cried; never once asking what was wrong…something she was grateful for, as she had no idea. Esme stood behind her, her hand on her back as she whispered whatever comforting thing came to mind almost too quietly for Bella to hear. Edward stood with the others in the doorway, his eyes anxious as his parents comforted her, but she could no more explain to him what was wrong than she could to Esme or Carlisle. She was relieved…glad that her mother was gone, that she hopefully wouldn't have to deal with her again. But she couldn't get the image of her mother's tear stained face, her sudden smile…the way she'd thrown her arms around Bella, out of her mind. Her mother had apologized, just like she'd wanted, but she knew, deep down, that her mother was only sorry because she'd felt pressured to be. Bella knew that her mother didn't have any idea what her dismissal…what her ignorance, had done to her daughter.

But it didn't matter. Or that's what she told herself as Carlisle led her over to the couch, carefully helping her sit between himself and Esme. It didn't matter that Renee didn't know how to love her, or that Charlie never really tried to relate to her. Because she had Carlisle and Esme who'd so happily stepped up to fill the roles of her parents when she'd needed them. Because she had Jasper and Emmett, who now hovered protectively over her, the best brothers in the world, and Rosalie and Alice, the sisters she loved so fiercely. And because she had Edward who knelt in front of her, his hand slipping into hers as she waited for her to come back to his arms, the love of her existence. Still, no matter what she told herself, it hurt, so she leaned her face against Carlisle's shoulder and sobbed while Esme whispered soothing words and Jasper tried to comfort her.


	18. Chapter 18

Emmett hated Renee. He hated her more than he'd ever thought possible. He hated her more than Jackson, the boy who'd shot his sister and started this mess, more than Jacob Black who had kissed her against her will…more than Jeremy and Mark, who he fully intended to kill….that thought stuck with him for a moment and he let himself grin in anticipation. That was going to be fun…he hadn't expected Edward to reveal those details to Jasper or himself, but the two of them were planning a special hunting trip as soon as Bella was recovered enough not to need Jasper so much…

A soft sob brought his attention forcefully back to the topic at hand…he hated Renee. Because as much as all those other people had hurt his beloved little sister, none had done so more badly than the girl's mother. He'd stood in the kitchen, listening as Bella comforted her mother, the fury in the kitchen a tangible thing, then heard the girl's breath catch when Renee said that she'd take her away…because that's how they'd all understood it…Renee wanted to steal her daughter from them…and Emmett didn't know how they'd manage without her now. Thankfully Carlisle and Esme had stepped in before he'd committed the murders he was planning, and Jasper had stepped into the doorway, quickly calming Bella, surrounding her with their love for her before her selfish mother could do any more damage.

Now, as the fragile human cried, sitting between his mother and father, Edward kneeling in front of her and holding one of her hands tightly, and Jasper hovering behind the sofa, his full concentration on comforting the girl, Emmett felt his dead heart clench. He wanted to kill Renee, he realized with some surprise. He'd never thought that he would ever want to kill someone so passionately, but he wanted to kill her mother. The ignorant woman had wounded her daughter so deeply…and the worst part was that she didn't even realize what she'd done; there was no doubt in his mind about that. She'd neglected her daughter…and in her selfish blindness, refused to see that her child was being abused by the very people she brought into the house.

Slowly, her sobs began to quiet, her head resting on Carlisle's shoulder as her silent tears continued to soak his shirt. Their father kept a firm arm around her, holding her close and rocking them back and forth slowly while Esme whispered to her. Alice stood beside Jasper, her large eyes sad and worried, and Rosalie came to stand beside him, leaning against him as though she were tied. Lifting his arm, he held her to his side.

"I hope that's the last we see of her." Rosalie told him softly.

"For her sake, it had better be." His deep voice was ominous and Carlisle gave him a brief warning look, but it was unnecessary. Emmett wouldn't hunt down the girl's mother…it would cause her too much pain.

"She wants to go back to school on Monday." Rosalie murmured.

"Will Carlisle let her?"

"I don't think he's going to stop her…not if that's what she wants..." He looked down at her when she trailed off.

"But?"

"I know you've heard what everyone says about her…don't think the rumors will stop just because she got hurt." He sighed, hating to remember that particular fact. "Actually, they may get worse. Humans are cruel…they'll try to hurt her if they can."

Emmett wanted to say that no one could hurt her while they were around…but the blatant lie would be too painful. They would all do their very best to keep her from physical harm, but the rumors, the cruelty of high school students…the people she still loved…they could all still hurt her, and their was nothing her vampire family could do about it. "We'll protect her as best as we can." Emmett told her simply. "And if it's too much, we'll leave…all of us."

Glancing up at Carlisle, he grinned a bit at his father's firm nod. His pacifist father would do anything to keep Bella safe…even if it meant moving them all far away from this little town. But looking at Bella, he had to wonder if that was what she wanted.

Edward closed his eyes, releasing a deep, relived breath when Bella finally stopped crying, slipping into unconsciousness. The fact that she was sleeping so much would usually bother him, but he was too beyond worried to register anything else. Had she wanted to go with Renee? He had to wonder, considering how…broken she had seemed. Had she been too afraid to say so? Had she wanted to spare his feelings? Or did she want him to go with her? He would…no matter how much he would miss his family, he'd do anything for her. Emmett and Rosalie mumbled in the background, but he could only focus on her soft breathing, wincing when her breath hitched occasionally. "Carlisle?" He didn't know what he wanted to ask…but he needed something from his father….some kind of reassurance.

"Her mother just abandoned her, Edward." His father said softly, and Edward was ashamed at the relief he felt.

"She doesn't want to go with her?" He had to clarify…just in case.

"No…but didn't you see how easily her mother gave her up?" Edward winced, tightening his hand on hers. Scolding himself for being an idiot, he managed to smile gratefully at Esme who stood and let him take her place, but Carlisle kept the girl close, holding her gently in his arms as she slept. Lifting her feet until she was curled on the sofa in a more comfortable position, and covering her with a thick afghan, Edward lay beside her, his head by his father's shoulder, as he waited for her to wake. Looking around at everyone in the room and reading their thoughts, he realized that they would all stay until she woke up.


End file.
